Of Drabbles and Short Stories
by Nera Zenn
Summary: [AU/CU][Canon/Canon Divergence] A collection of various, non-related one-shots featuring different pairings, settings, and genres. Mostly Sakura-centric. Newest Chapter: Kakashi x Sakura NSFW
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello everyone! I am going to use this as a "dump" for my Tumblr requests. All of these chapters are going to be non-related one-shots of varying pairings, genres, and lengths. Feel free to message me or leave a review with a pairing and a prompt that you would like to see!

 **title** : out of time, written for amor-vitae  
 **prompt** : It's time to fight the boss, and if I don't tell you now, I might not live to tell you  
 **pairing** : kakashi x sakura  
 **genre** : romance / fluff  
 **rating** : t (for implications)

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

"Sakura," Kakashi called, trying to gain her attention without completely pulling her away from her task.

When his prompting garnered no response, he tried again.

" _Sakura_ ," He stressed each syllable of her name as they rolled off his tongue.

The medical tent was in chaos. Nurses and doctors alike were fanatically shifting around them, a disorganized slew of bodies, barking out orders and calling for assistance.

Sakura stood before him, up to her elbows in blood, trying desperately to close the gaping hole in the chest of the patient laid out on the gurney.

This war caught them by surprise.

Maybe it was because they were too full of themselves to think that someone would challenge them.

Or, maybe it was because they had grown accustomed to the armistice amongst the villages. Peace reigned amongst the five nations for almost a full decade, and no one – Konoha most of all – was prepared for the foreign invaders who swept through the Land of Fire like a plague.

They arrived in the south by fleet, their numbers far exceeding any of the main shinobi villages.

What they had in means of warriors, however, they lacked in skill and although the allies were outnumbered three to one, the war – after two years of fighting, bleeding, and loss – was finally turning in their favor.

This was their enemies' last stand; an all-out onslaught, a full-frontal attack that they hoped would weaken the shinobi armies just enough so that they would be forced to retreat.

Kakashi didn't know what brought him here.

The urge to see her, to make sure that she was alright burned so strongly within him that his feet carried him to her before he even realized it.

This war had tangled their lives together more so than anything else, and though they never defined whatever it was between them, Sakura had undoubtedly wormed her way into his heart.

Kakashi was drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

It started with lingering glances; then progressed to kisses stolen in the dark.

Eventually, they had ended up in her tent, gasping and writhing and _arching_ and when it was over, Kakashi realized that he had never once felt so complete in his life.

Sakura never asked why he approached her and Kakashi didn't provide an explanation. Their trysts had become the only constant in this current, ever-changing world. The war had changed everything, had taken friends and family alike, and through it all, she was there.

Kakashi found himself becoming accustomed to her, drunk on the liquor that was Sakura Haruno.

With her patient finally stabilized, jade eyes shifted to lock with his inky gaze.

Immediately, the pinkette began to assess his state of health, slowly giving him a once-over with expert efficiency. She paused halfway through her perusal when she realized that he was not in any distress.

Chakra depleted, yes, but he currently had no bodily harm.

Fear and caution swam in her gaze and Kakashi could see the wheels turning in her mind.

If he wasn't injured, then what was he there for?

"What is it Kakashi?" The cherry-haired medic rasped, her voice hoarse from constant use. "Are you okay? Is it Naruto? Sai?"

Even in this disheveled state, hair mussed, covered in splattered blood, and skin ashen from her overexertion, Sakura was still the most beautiful thing that Kakashi had ever seen.

His lack of immediate response caused her to panic further, and she barked out, " _What is it_ _Kakashi?_ "

"The boys are fine," The gray-haired male assured promptly. "Both Sai and Naruto are waiting for me to finish up what I need to do before we head out."

Sakura relaxed slightly with his guarantee of her teammates' safety, her shoulders slumping as the tension seeped out of her.

She didn't remain that way for long, however, before she eyed him apprehensively once more.

"If you're all okay, then why are you here?"

"I…I, uh...," His mouth snapped shut behind his mask, and there was a short pause.

Kakashi released a small sigh before he squared his shoulders and said, "Naruto's got a plan, abet a crazy one, but a plan nonetheless. We're leaving for the front lines in a few minutes and I just needed to see you because I have to…I just…"

The words died on his tongue again. Kakashi stepped into her personal space, reaching out a hand to cup her cheek. He took note of how clamy the skin felt underneath his fingertips. The petite woman was surprised by the gesture, but her shock soon gave way and she melted into the embrace.

Kakashi brushed his thumb along her cheek as he whispered, "Sakura, I just need you to know that if I don't make it back, what we've shared is one of the best things to ever happen to me. If I don't tell you now, I might never get the chance…I lo –"

" _Don't,_ " Sakura interjected softly, cutting him off.

A tiny hand covered his own and Sakura nuzzled his palm, eyes boring into his own with a fierceness that took his breath away.

"Don't tell me now, not like this. You can finish that little speech when you get back because _you are making it back_. All of you."

She stared at him with hard green eyes, a maelstrom of emotions swimming in those viridian depths and all of the unspoken words between them suddenly meant nothing.

Kakashi knew Sakura and Sakura knew Kakashi.

Looking underneath the underneath was something he had drilled into her all those years ago.

He released a tiny chuckle, pulling back from her grasp, fingers ghosting against her jawline.

Charcoal eyes never strayed from her as he took a step back, then another.

"I'll see you soon."

At Sakura's small nod, Kakashi turned and fled from the medical tent, intent on finding Naruto and Sai.

The sooner they carried out this plan, the sooner he could return to her.

And he _would_ return to her.

* * *

Thank you, everyone, for reading!

 **word count** : 1,000  
 **last edited on** : 05/17/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note** : Here's the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : absence, written for dimancheetoile  
 **prompt** : you've said you're going to leave but I don't want you to go and if I don't say something now…  
 **pairing** : shikamaru x sakura  
 **genre** : romance / drama  
 **rating** : k+

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

-o-

 _"You can't leave."_

 _The statement was blunt, right to the point. There would be no need for further explanation._

 _"…I'm sorry, but excuse you?!"_

 _Her response derailed his initial plan._

-o-

Shikamaru _did not_ like her.

Correction: Shikamaru didn't like anyone.

Now that wasn't to say Shikamaru didn't care for his friends or family.

Despite his father still wiping the floor with him in a game of shogi and his mother's consistent nagging, the Nara heir wouldn't change his home life for anything.

Even before the war, the Konoha Eleven, more specifically Ino and Choji, were irrevocably a part of him.

The bonds they all formed with one another were so profound that, on the rare occurrences they could all get together, there was an underlying sense of _rightness_ within the group.

Together they fought, and lost, and broke, and bled, and then won.

Their lives were forever woven together, and Shikamaru secretly enjoyed the unique, kindred relationships that their friend group fashioned over the years.

Whenever he observed Ino fuss over Choji's eating habits or during arguments between Kiba and Naruto that he silently mediated, Shikamaru's contentment was incomparable.

This, amongst this particular group of shinobi, was where he belonged. 6

With that being said, Shikamaru made a clear divide between his friendships and _anything_ that tried to move beyond his set boundaries.

Regardless of his genius status, romance was something Shikamaru didn't excel in – not that he _wanted_ to.

The Nara heir never felt the need to involve himself with someone else. He had his whole life set out in front of him. Despite his clan's meddleing, Shikamaru didn't feel the need to worry about finding a wife and settling down.

Shikamaru compartmentalized everything; his job, his training, his family, and even his friends.

It all fit into the neat, little boxes in his brain and there was no room for an external variable like _love_ which didn't match any of his predesignated molds.

Growing up, Choji and himself had been privy to Ino's fantasies about the perfect meet-cute, which would then lead to her ideal whirlwind romance.

His female teammate thought more about love and adventure than perfecting her clan's techniques.

Which, unsurprisingly, was what she was doing right now.

"I can't believe I didn't see this sooner," The blonde said, exasperated.

Ino brought the heel of her left palm up to her forehead and smacked herself lightly with it. "It's been right in front of me this whole time!"

The lazy-nin chose to disregard her theatrics, remaining comfortably unperturbed as he lounged in the shade of an unusually large oak, watching the clouds.

Choji, choosing to forego his kata in favor of listening to their female teammate mindlessly ramble, approached the duo.

"What are you going on about now Ino?" The Akimichi's query was punctuated with the telltale crinkle of a bag of potato chips.

Ino's pitch was far too high when she screeched her reply, "Can't you tell Choji!? Shikamaru's in love!"

The black-haired male could feel the weight of Choji's curiously stunned stare, and it caused Shikamaru to sigh. Brown eyes lazily slid towards the only female in the clearing, pinning the blonde with a halfhearted glare.

"Ino," Shikamaru muttered. "For the last time, I _am not_ in love with Sakura Haruno."

The gleam in the Yamanaka's eye told him that she was far from convinced.

-o-

 _"I just…you can't…god, this is so_ troublesome _."_

 _She growled, a low, gurgled animalistic sound that resonated from the back of her throat._

 _"Please, do enlighten me as to what is that you find so_ troublesome _, Nara."_

-o-

When Shikamaru found out she was leaving, there was no sudden epiphany or dramatic scene. He just felt…kind of annoyed.

Naruto interrupted their weekly team dinner at Ichiraku, draping himself unceremoniously over the counter between Choji and Ino.

"What's wrong? Sasuke beat you in a spar again?" Ino asked, shoving the Kyuubi jinchuuriki out of her personal space with a well-placed elbow to the ribs.

Unbothered by the manhandling of his person, the future Hokage just pitifully whined, face still buried in the hardwood of the countertop.

"Did you and Hinata get into an argument or something?" Choji inquired, not removing his gaze from his third bowl of ramen.

The fair-haired male grunted a soft ' _no_.'

Shikamaru released a tiny huff, laying his chopsticks down, dark eyes rolling skyward.

"Then what's your issue Naruto? We very well can't help you if you don't tell us."

There was a short bout of silence, in which, Naruto turned his head to the side before he blubbered, "S-Sakura-chan is leaving!"

The blond's face contorted into a pout, but it was short-lived as Ino shot him a deadpanned look.

"And why," She ventured. "Is that upsetting? Forehead is always locked in that office of hers. It's about time she got out and went on a mission."

Shikamaru bobbed his head in a curt nod that portrayed his agreement.

He had seen less and less of Sakura around the Hokage tower, and it was beginning to put a damper on their daily, lunchtime shoji games. You very well can't play a board game without an opponent, and

Sakura was the only one in the entire building that presented an actual challenge. Without her, there just didn't seem to be a point in playing.

Naruto sat up abruptly, glowering darkly at every member of team ten.

"You don't get it!" He shouted, flailing his hands around to accentuate his point. "Granny is sending her to Suna to help them revitalize the way they teach medical ninjutsu. They're starting from the ground up! The entire thing could take years to complete. _Years!"_

It took a few seconds for his words to set in, but when they did Ino had disappeared in a flurry of golden hair, most likely going to hunt down the subject of their conversation in order to extract more information.

Choji remained unconcerned by the news and Naruto, not getting the verbalized protest and outrage he initially anticipated, slammed his forehead against the countertop once more.

"What if they offer her a job when she's finished?" Naruto groaned. "Or worse! What if she ends up finding someone and decides to stay on her own!?"

 _That_ particular thought made Shikamaru's lips draw down into a frown.

Naruto raised his head slowly, his expression filled with unadulterated horror. "Oh god, what if she falls in love with _Gaara_?!"

-o-

 _"Could you stop screaming? Really, you can be worse than Ino sometimes."_

 _"Excuse me?! I'm not the one who locked us in a room under the pretense of talking, then decided not to talk."_

 _There was a slight pause, then he mumbled, "This turned out to be such a drag…"_

 _She took a step towards him; her intent hostile, hands clenched into fists at her side. "I'll show you a drag, Nara!"_

-o-

He saw her the next day as she was leaving Tsunade's office.

Sakura greeted him with her usual cheery smile and a small wave, "Hi, Shikamaru!"

The Nara heir returned a greeting with a nod of his head.

Unphased by his silence, the pink haired woman continued on her way, but before she could entirely brush past him, Shikamaru reached out, lightly grasping her elbow.

Sakura stopped, half turning towards him with a raised brow.

"I heard you're going to Suna," Was all he provided as an explanation for his sudden irruption.

Realization dawned on her face, and her lips curled into a small smirk.

"Yeah, I leave at the end of the week. Upset that you're going to lose your shogi partner?"

"Something like that," He murmured, releasing his hold on her.

"Don't worry," Sakura assured with a wink. "I'm sure you'll find someone that can put up a better challenge than I can. I'll see you around Shikamaru!"

He watched her retreat down the corridor, dark eyes drinking in every movement as she disappeared around the corner.

For the rest of the day, Shikamaru scowled.

-o-

 _"Could you just relax for a minute and let me get this out?"_

 _His question – though it sounded more like a demand, even to him – went unheard._

 _Before Sakura could lunge, Shikamaru took a step forward, grabbed her by both of her forearms and dragged her towards him._

 _Too stunned to protest, Sakura went along willingly, wide emerald eyes staring up at him._

 _"I…I need…," He toiled with his words for a moment. In a tone that sounded far to pleading for his tastes, he then said, "You just_ can't _go."_

 _Her response was a whispered, "Why?"_

-o-

Ino threw Sakura a going away party, invitations given to all of the Konoha Eleven, plus some of the older shinobi like Kakashi and Kurenai.

He remained by himself most of the night, isolated in the corner of Ino's living room merely observing the head of bubblegum pink hair as it bobbled between different groups of people, mingling and laughing, acting so ridiculously carefree that it made him angry.

Didn't she care?

Didn't she realize that she would be leaving this all behind?

After everything that they had gone through together as a group, Sakura would just up and leave the village without so much as batting an eye?

The shadows stirred around him as his fury grew and the longer the night went on, the more his emotions churned in disarray. There was a hollow feeling in the pit of Shikamaru's stomach, and his fingers restlessly twitched at his side.

The moment Ino dipped into her kitchen to gather more refreshments, Shikamaru beelined right for Sakura, spiriting her away to their host's bedroom under the muttered pretense that they needed to talk.

-o-

Shikamaru dipped his head before he even realized what he was doing and Sakura, who was still unsure of what was going on, tilted her head to evade his movement.

The kiss – if you could call it such – was sloppy, landing on the corner of her mouth, more so on her cheek than on her lips.

Shikamaru pulled back, and Sakura froze, but before she could demand an explanation, he leaned down to kiss her again, this time slanting his mouth hard across her own.

The rosette tensed, but she didn't try to escape his hold. Only after hesitating for another moment, did she finally melt into his embrace, returning his kiss with as much fervor as she could muster.

Things didn't escalate much further before the need for air forced them to break apart.

"What," Sakura started, an embarrassed flush painted across her cheeks. "Was that?"

His head was spinning, and the erratic heartbeat echoing in his ears made it hard to think straight.

"That," He rasped. "Is why you can't go to Suna."

Sakura stared at him for a long, drawn-out moment and Shikamaru took the time to admire the splash of freckles across the bridge of her nose. His hands ghosted along her shoulders as he reached up to cup both sides of her face.

"Oh," She finally breathed, then paused for a moment.

" _Oh_ ," She repeated, the one syllable portraying that comprehension had finally dawned.

Silence descended on the room once again, and Shikamaru hated to admit it, but it made him nervous.

His frayed anxiousness was banished, however, when he suddenly felt a tiny hand reach up and brush along the underside of his jaw.

Sakura smile was coy, viridian hues dancing with warm appreciation.

"Well," She stated with a punctual finality. "We're just going to have to talk to Shishou about finding a replacement for me tomorrow morning."

Shikamaru responded with a chuckle before he leaned down for another kiss.

-o-

When they finally vacated Ino's room sometime later, the Yamanaka heiress's scream of, "I _knew_ it!" was the first thing to greet them.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count** : 1,967  
 **last edited on** : 05/17/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note** : Here is the next installment! I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : closet space, written for littlegreenstrawberry  
 **prompt** : I have you shoved against the wall but now I can't stop looking at your mouth  
 **pairing** : kakashi x sakura  
 **genre** : romance / humor  
 **rating** : k+

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

"This is _your_ fault!"

Kakashi chose to overlook her verbal jab, continuing to run down the empty corridor like she hadn't said anything at all.

Sakura struggled behind him, her geta clattering with her frantic movements. He half expected the mass of silk she was wrapped in to slow her down, but she kept up with him well enough, hefting the kimono so that it bunched around her waist.

"I _almost_ had him," The pinkette continued to gripe as they turned down another hallway.

Kakashi ground out his retort. " _Now_ is not the time Sakura."

He reached out for her then, slender fingers wrapping around her left forearm.

Without warning, Kakashi dove into an open room, dragging her along with him before quickly and quietly sliding the door shut behind them.

The closet was cramped and dark, the only light filtering through was from the torches in the hallway that bathed through the paper screens. The copy-nin pushed his female teammate up against the far wall, wrapping his slender frame around her own in an effort to keep her hidden from view should someone find them.

There was a short pause; then shadows fell across the doorway, a parade of stomping feet reverberating throughout the hall.

"Make sure we find them," The nasally voice of one of the guards panted out as they passed. "Boss wants to handle them both personally. _Especially_ the girl."

There were a few grunts of approval before the sounds outside the closet entrance trailed off, the group of soldiers continuing their venture down the corridor.

Kakashi strained to listen for any other movement beyond their hiding place, but all he could hear was Sakura gasping for breath as she tried to calm down from their recent sprint.

"Remind me again why I agreed to take you along for this?" The rosette questioned, her chest pressing against his own as she panted for air.

"Maa," Kakashi murmured, unperturbed by her ire. "Without me, who would keep you on your toes?"

The petite woman released a snort, and even though Kakashi couldn't see it in the darkness of the room, he was sure that unladylike sniff was accompanied with her signature eye roll.

"I wouldn't call blowing our cover 'keeping me on my toes,'" Sakura grumbled.

She tried to maneuver around him but stumbled, legs catching in the many folds of her formal dress, and she fell back against the rows of shelves behind her.

" _Ow_ ," She hissed through gritted teeth.

Unconsciously, Kakashi moved closer, propping one hand on the wall above her while the other weaved through cherry strands, caressing the back of her head which was now sporting a rather impressive bump.

His inquiry was in a hushed tone, "Are you alright?"

His fingers ghosted over her scalp, but before he could assess the damage further, Sakura shoved his hand aside, gathering chakra in her hands as they worked to soothe the bruise, the closet now bathed in a soft, green glow.

"No, I am not _alright_ ," She snapped. "I'm in the most uncomfortable pair of shoes that I have ever had the liberty of wearing, my teammate decided to take it upon himself to attack without waiting for the signal, blowing our cover, and now my head _hurts_. So, no Kakashi, I am not _alright_."

The silver-haired shinobi allowed her words to mull around in his head for a bit.

Yes, it might have been his fault that they were currently caught up in this situation, but it still seemed a little unfair to allow him to shoulder all the blame.

Naruto assigned them a two-man assassination mission.

A warlord had risen to power in a village on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers, stealing from civilians so that he could fund his raids and killing off the those that refused to recognize his authority.

Their job was simple, take out the leader and dispose of as many of his lackeys as they could during their escape.

The first, and the most significant issue presented itself when they arrived at the border town and took in the sight of the stone citadel which their target called home. The fortress was impenetrable, and it would take far too much effort to break in only for them to then try and sneak around undetected.

They considered just storming through the front door. That thought was quickly tossed out the window, however. It would be too messy, and with only so little information on the forces they were dealing with, they both figured it would be best to come up with a different approach.

Luckily for them, the mercenary horde had a particular nightly ritual, one which allowed a select few women from the local brothel to enter the manor under the pretense of… _entertainment_ purposes.

A borrowed kimono and a quick makeover was all it took for Sakura to gain admittance and Kakashi – using the momentary distraction of the girls arriving for the evening – slipped in undetected.

Their assignment had gone smoothly at first.

Sakura played her part adequately, and Kakashi kept an eye on her from the shadows.

The second issue came about when Sakura persuaded their target to join her in a more secluded area of the mansion.

For Kakashi, there was something about watching his ex-student, a flush on her cheeks as she leaned into the caress of a man more than twice her age, that stirred something in the pit of his stomach.

The copy-nin didn't doubt Sakura's ability to carry out this assignment, to land the killing blow right before anything could progress too far.

However, observing the criminal's hand trail slowly up Sakura's thigh prompted him into action, and the kunai was out of Kakashi's hand before his mind even caught up with the movement.

His unannounced effort to end their mission early would have been considered beneficial…if Kakashi hadn't missed.

A blood-curdling scream from their boss as the throwing knife embedded into his shoulder was all it took for half of the manor's forces to close in on them.

"Are you even listening to me?" Sakura ferociously whispered, gaining his attention once more.

The light emanating from her hands allowed Kakashi to take in her features. Her hair was a tousled mess from them trying to escape, and her vibrant jade eyes were glowering at him, but what really caught his attention were her lips.

Sakura had painted them crimson, borrowing some type of cosmetic from one of the other girls before they arrived at the citadel.

He watched her throughout the original application, dark hues immediately drawn to the back and forth motion of her finger as it brushed across her mouth.

He was mesmerized by the way her lips moved, the way they curled into a smile, or how that twisted into a pout, how they parted when she laughed.

What was once so pristinely decorated was now smeared; a dark red streak smudged onto her right cheek. Kakashi's fingers twitched and he had to fight down the mounting urge to touch her.

"Kakashi?" Sakura murmured again.

Hazy charcoal orbs darted up to lock with concerned emerald.

"Are you alright?" She questioned.

His eyes darted back to her mouth, watching as Sakura began to gnaw on her bottom lip in a worried gesture.

And then, all too suddenly, Kakashi became aware of their positions.

Sakura was pressed against him fully, arching her back as she tried to get away from the shelf digging into her shoulder blades. Her was face upturned as she looked at him, breath caressing the side of his neck.

Despite the layers of fabric separating them, Kakashi could still feel every single one of her curves, and he tried not to listen to his rapid heartbeat as it echoed in his ears.

Abruptly, Kakashi pushed himself off the wall. Their hiding spot was quickly becoming a bit too stifling for his tastes.

"Come on," He rasped, voice huskier than he intended. The gray-haired male tried cleared his throat to combat its sudden dryness before adding, "We need to get out of here."

Without looking back at Sakura, Kakashi moved towards the door, tossing it open, and disappearing into the hall.

He tried to ignore the rising heat in his cheeks for the remainder of their escape.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count** : 1,388  
 **last edited on** : 05/17/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note** : Here is the next installment. I Hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : banish, written for kairi-chan  
 **prompt** : "You can't banish me! This is my bed too!"  
 **pairing** : kakashi x sakura  
 **genre** : romance / humor  
 **rating** : t (for implications)

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

"Now Sakura," Kakashi softly pleaded.

He swiftly dodged the pillow that was tossed across the room, aimed at his head, before continuing, "This hardly seems fair."

"What's not _fair_ ," His cherry-haired wife tersely replied, "Is that _I_ have to go through this and _you_ do not."

This time, she threw a blanket in his direction and Kakashi didn't try to evade hurled inanimate object. The rumpled quilt landed haphazardly on his right shoulder, covering half of his head in the process.

The copy-nin removed the plush article from his person, sulkily answering, "I don't recall you complaining this much during the _initial process_."

A rosy flush lit up his wife's cheeks, but instead of crumbling under her new-found embarrassment, Sakura merely squared her shoulders, straightening her spine.

"Yes, well," She started, nose slightly upturned in the air with a delicate sniff. "That was before I gained an extra thirty pounds."

Kakashi cast her a pointed look, though he said nothing as he bent down to retrieve the discarded pillow.

As he straightened, he turned to regard Sakura, who was now situating herself among the remaining pillows in the center of their bed, sheets and comforter tucked neatly around the curve of her hips.

"Sakura, it's three in the morning."

At her husband's statement, the pinkette glanced towards the digital clock on the nightstand. The bright neon-green numbers confirmed that it was, in fact, extremely early in the morning.

"It is," Sakura calmly agreed, turning back to look at her silver-haired lover.

"I just got back from a mission," Kakashi then offered.

With a small hum, Sakura nodded her head.

"You did," she affirmed.

"…And you're seriously kicking me out of our room."

It was more of a statement than a question, but Sakura chose to answer it anyway.

"Yes," The emerald-eyed woman immediately replied, her tone passive. "I haven't gotten a night of decent sleep since before you left and you have been gone weeks, Kakashi. _Weeks._ "

The underlying accusation didn't go unnoticed, and Kakashi winced slightly.

Truthfully, if there were someone to blame, it would be Naruto, as he was the one that thought it would be best to send Kakashi out on a month-long reconnaissance mission during Sakura's time of need.

"Mark my words," His wife continued her rant. "I _am not_ going to that council meeting with Shishou tomorrow morning without a few hours of decent sleep. Of course, on the night that I finally feel well enough to relax, you come barging in demanding half of the bed."

His brows drew down in a frown, charcoal eyes narrowing into a small glower.

"You can't banish me!" Came his childish retort. "This is my bed too!"

Sakura growled, pearly-whites snapping as she responded, "Don't you look at me like that."

Despite his current predicament, Kakashi was somewhat impressed by the feral note her voice held.

Clearly, his wife had spent too much time with their dogs while he was away.

"Your son," She accentuated her statement by placing her hands over the large swell of her protruding stomach, viridian eyes burning with rage as she scowled at him. "Likes to spend his days kicking up a fuss to the point where I can barely stand. I can't catch a break. When he finally calms down enough to me to relax, nausea takes his place and the next thing I know I'm locked in the bathroom for the next hour."

Kakashi grimaced again but remained calm under Sakura's hardened gaze.

He knew this pregnancy had been particularly trying on her, even with her skills as a medical ninja. It was one of the main reasons why he didn't want to take the mission in the first place, but Naruto had been insistent on sending his ex-sensei, citing that Kakashi was the only one competent enough to get the job done correctly.

"I'm hot," His wife continued her tirade. "Unbearably so, in fact, and my entire body feels like a swollen water balloon. So, Mr. 'My-resting-body-temperature-is-one-hundred-degrees-but-I-still-like-to-cuddle', if you step one foot in this bed, I will smother you."

Her threat was paired with a small, innocent smile and the batting of long lashes, but the stiffness in her posture promised retribution should he try and test her.

Over the long years of his life, there were very few people that Kakashi found himself fearful of.

On most occasions, he was wary, cautious even. It came with the territory of being a shinobi.

Now, when faced with his _very_ irritated and _very_ pregnant wife, Kakashi would never admit that he was scared, but there was a little – _extremely minute_ – tingle of trepidation crawling up his spine.

He would not win this fight.

With as much dignity as one who was being shunned from their bedroom could muster, Kakashi straightened, grumbling as he turned on his heel and padded out of the room, pillow and blanket in tow.

"Summon the dogs if you get lonely!" Sakura called out after him. "Pakkun is a great cuddler!"

* * *

Thank you for reading everyone!

 **word count** : 834  
 **last edited on** : 05/17/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note** : Here is the next installment. I Hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : celebrate, written for kairi-chan  
 **prompt** : "Congratulations! One of your dreams has finally come true. Let me give you a big hug and...wow you're warm."  
 **pairing** : naruto x sakura  
 **genre** : romance / humor  
 **rating** : t (for implications)

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

The village was bathed in varying shades of orange and mauve; the last golden rays of the sun giving way as dusk settled.

Sounds of praise and jubilance filtered through the streets, civilians and shinobi alike could be seen parading through town, the merriment of the occasion bringing everyone together.

Naruto watched from his perch by the window, a broad grin plastered on his face. It was odd, standing there after all this time, after all his _dreaming_.

The fruit of one's labor tasted especially sweet when the final goal was accomplished, and for Naruto, _this_ was the one thing that he had wanted most of all.

Through his struggles and other's doubts, even with his team's ups and downs, and the fighting and breaking, and _dying_ – though, technically he didn't _stay_ dead, but his heart did stop– Naruto was finally, _finally_ , here.

He broke away from his thoughts when the door to his office opened, then closed with a soft click.

"There you are," A feminine voice called out to him, tone slightly scolding.

Naruto turned to find Sakura standing on the opposite side of his desk, smiling brightly at him. The rosette looked like she had seen better days. Her pink locks were in a state of slight disarray, and the red tunic she wore was rumbled. There was a vibrant flush dusted across her cheeks and the bridge of her thin nose.

The blond wondered if her blush was caused by the exertion of dancing or a side effect of the alcohol she consumed.

' _Probably both,'_ He silently mused.

"Everyone is looking for you," She chided as she came to join him on his side of the table.

Her mother hen act made the kyuubi jinjuriki's lips twitch, as he tried to suppress a smirk.

"Enjoying the party?" He inquired.

His ex-teammate – turned girlfriend – huffed, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. "As a matter of fact, I was," Sakura smartly replied. "Ino and I were trying to teach Sai how to dance. He ended up stepping all over Pig's toes and somehow managed to trip me."

The scene played out in his mind's eye, and Naruto couldn't help but chuckle. Sakura tittered along with him before she crossed her arms and stared at him with a slowly raising brow.

"The better question is, _Hokage-sama_ , why aren't you out there, enjoying the celebration? It is in your honor."

The light-haired male frowned at her use of his honorific and instead of gracing her with a reply, he chose to ignore her. Sakura's smug expression grew at his lack of response, and in retaliation to her smirk, Naruto reached out and twined his slender fingers around a forelock of pink hair, giving it a swift, hard tug.

Sakura yelped and tried to retreat, taking a step back, but Naruto didn't let her get very far before he was on her. Grabbing the rosette by the wrist, the newly appointed Kage pulled the petite woman towards him, and she crashed into his chest with a small _'oomph.'_

Naruto thwarted any future attempts at escape by wrapping his arms around Sakura's waist, tucking her head underneath his chin.

"You of all people should know better than to call me that," He sulkily muttered. "It sounds too weird coming from you."

The pinkette snickered, unperturbed by his manhandling, burrowing further into his embrace.

After a moment's pause, Sakura said, "This is an abuse of power, you know." The words were muffled by the fabric of his shirt. "Just wait until the council catches wind that you're bullying your head medic."

Naruto chuckled as he pulled back, cerulean eyes twinkling as he looked down at her. "Nice try, but I highly doubt the council is going to get involved in our domestic disputes."

His girlfriend scrunched up her nose as she pouted, emerald eyes dancing with unrepressed mirth. Sakura didn't say anything else before she dipped her head and nuzzled her cheek against his collarbone.

"You're warm…" She murmured offhandedly, which caused him to grin.

"How much have you had to drink?" Naruto asked.

He didn't have to look down to know that Sakura had rolled her eyes, he could almost _feel_ the movement with her pressed against him.

"Blame Shishou," She provided as an excuse. "She started ' _celebrating'_ early on this afternoon. Shizune and I could barely keep up."

"Yeah, that sounds like something that granny would do," The blond joked.

They both lapsed into comfortable silence then, and after a little while, Naruto thought Sakura might have fallen asleep standing up. Her breathing had evened out and hands clasped in his shirt became lax in their grip. Before he could pull away and see if his theory was correct, her head snapped up and that broad forehead he had come to love so much nearly collided with his chin.

Viridian eyes regarded him with emotions that Naruto couldn't recognize and for a minute, all he could do was stare back at her. Becoming slightly wary under his lover's unyielding green gaze, Naruto ventured to inquire, "Sakura-chan, are you alright?"

Sakura just blinked at him, once, then twice, before a smile bloomed on her lips that was so wide, it caused the corner of her eyes to crinkle.

"You did it," She whispered in glee, shaking him slightly as she spoke. "Naruto, _you did it._ "

The underlying meaning of her statement hit him suddenly, and almost immediately, Naruto's smile was as large as her own. Her pleasure brought about his own ecstatic wonderment, and he leaned down to press a chaste kiss to her temple.

"Yeah, I did," He commented almost breathlessly. "I _finally_ did it."

They looked at one another fondly for a minute, but it faded quickly, Naruto's grin suddenly turning devious in nature.

"You know that this means right?" The blond practically purred.

Sakura considered his words, eyeing him skeptically. She already knew – despite her slightly inebriated state – that she wasn't going to approve of whatever it was he was thinking about.

"What does it mean?" She asked hesitantly.

"It means," He started. "That we should do some _celebrating_ of our own."

His innuendo was understood loud and clear, but before Sakura could berate him for his one-track, perverted mind, Naruto pushed her back against his desk, hands immediately flying up to fiddle with the zipper of her top.

" _Naruto!_ " She screeched, trying to swipe at his prying hands.

The Nanadaime put an end to her protests by slanting his mouth across her own.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count** : 1,085  
 **last edited on** : 03/30/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Here's the next installment. I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : after class, written for starry-whispers  
 **prompt** : I have a crush on my younger sibling's tutor  
 **pairing** : hinata x sakura  
 **genre** : romance / fluff  
 **rating** : g

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

Kiba released a low whistle; dark hues fixated on a point over her left shoulder.

"Who," He asked, his voice taking on an appreciative tone. "Is _that_?"

Though she was curious, Hinata didn't glance up from her math homework. If she didn't finish this worksheet by the time the bell rang, she wouldn't be prepared for her next class.

From the corner of her eye, Hinata noticed Shino lift his head from his novel, shifting his gaze to observe whoever their brunette friend had been leering at.

"She's an upperclassman, judging by her tie," The bookworm drawled. After using an index finger to push his glasses further up his nose, Shino continued, "I think she's friends with that Uzumaki kid. I'm pretty sure I've seen them together before."

Kiba tilted his head to the right; a wolfish grin breaking out on his face as he drank in the sight of his subject from the new angle.

"Still doesn't explain why a junior is in the freshman common room…not that I'm complaining," The tattooed male impishly stated. "I mean, just _look_ at those legs."

It was only after that comment did Hinata finally look up from her paperwork, peering at her classmate from under long, dark lashes.

" _Kiba_ , _"_ She scolded, an embarrassed flush dusting across her cheeks due to his insinuations.

Black eyes regarded her sheepishly. "Sorry Hinata," Kiba apologized hastily, though the tone he used suggested that he _really_ wasn't all that apologetic.

Pale violet eyes pinned him with a slight reprimanding look, before Hinata gave a small huff, turning her attention back to her homework.

"Ignore him," Shino cut in. "It's not like that girl would give him the time of day, anyway."

"And how do you know that?!" Kiba snapped, glaring at the side of Shino's head.

"Well," The Aburame hummed, turning a page in his novel. "If her pink hair is anything to go by, I'm almost positive that she's Sasuke Uchiha's girlfriend."

Hinata's pen stopped moving at the mention of the subject of their conversation's hair color.

Suddenly, she snapped her head in the direction the boys had been previously staring, dark hair bobbing with the movement. Sure enough, across the room stood Sakura Haruno. The pinkette was scouring the freshman common room with interest, seemingly intent on finding someone in the vast crowd.

Hinata blanched, releasing a tiny ' _eep_ ' before abruptly turning back around. Homework long forgotten, she dropped her pen on the table, burying her face in her hands, shoulders slumping as she slouched forward.

The odd reaction caused Shino to close his book, both males sharing a curious, sideways glance before Kiba reached over and gently tried to pry her hands away.

"What's gotten into you?" Kiba asked after he was finally successful in ridding Hinata of her hiding spot.

The blue-haired woman tried – and failed – to fight against the rising blush that warmed her skin.

"I…I-I just…I know her," Hinata stammered out, pulling her hands out of Kiba's grasp.

At her vague explanation, both brown-haired males simultaneously raised a single, questioning brow.

Trying to ignore their curious stares, Hinata glimpsed, dropping her hands in her lap. After a moment of silence, when both boys realized that their female friend wasn't going to explain any further, Shino broke the small, awkward tension that had encompassed their table.

"I don't think I've seen you this flustered since you had that crush on that…Yamanaka…girl…" As his words trailed off, realization dawned on all of their faces.

"Oh, Hinata!" Kiba exclaimed, choking on his own laughter. "You _sly_ dog."

Shino put an end to the Inuzuka's jesting with a swift elbow to his ribs. Though Kiba's chuckles were cut off, he still stared at Hinata with unrepressed amusement, lips twitching as he bit back his smile.

Black eyes peeked out from over the rim of dark glasses as Shino regarded Hinata with a small tilt of his head. Someone or something behind her must have caught his attention because before he could continue with his line of questioning, he peered back over her shoulder.

Shino once again tossed open his paperback and ducked his head behind the cover before he quietly murmured, "She's making her way over here."

Kiba's posture immediately stiffened, mirth long forgotten, as onyx eyes glanced past Hinata.

"He's right," The brunette confirmed, leaning back slightly in his seat, trying to look inconspicuously nonchalant.

Hinata could feel the color drain from her face as her stomach bottomed out, "What do you mean she's coming over here?!"

Shino offered her a small, half-hearted shrug, turning another page in his book. "Better pull it together," He muttered. "She'll be here in three…two…one…"

"Hinata-chan!" Sakura chirped in greeting, right on cue.

Twisting in her seat, Hinata lifted her head to stare up at the older woman. "S-S-Sakura-chan! I..um…hi," She finished lamely.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" The pinkette exclaimed, reaching into her bookbag, digging around for something within its depths.

"Y-You have!?" The Hyuuga squeaked, her neck and chest now blooming with the same pink hue that was painted across her cheeks.

Sakura tittered at her stutter and at the sound of her giggle, Hinata's flush grew tenfold.

"Yes, I have." Finally finding whatever it was she was looking for, Sakura gave a small triumphant cry, before extracting a large, manila envelope from her handbag, holding it out towards Hinata.

Hinata hastily grabbed the package. Her eagerness to please the pinkette caused Kiba to release an amused snort, and in retaliation, Hinata expertly kicked his shin under the table, causing him to jerk in his chair.

If Sakura noticed their little transaction, she didn't acknowledge it.

"Could you give that to your sister?" The emerald-eyed woman inquired. "I'm going to be a little late to the session tonight, so could you just ask her to start on that paperwork and we'll go over it when I arrive?"

Hinata gave Sakura a nod, accompanied by a shy smile. "Of course."

Sakura beamed at the younger woman's acceptance. "Thank you so much Hinata-chan! You're the best. I'll see you later on, okay?"

Hinata gave a tiny nod, hugging the envelope to her chest. Sakura offered her a small wave before she turned on her heel, crossing the threshold of the room and disappearing out into the hallway.

Only when she heard Kiba's gruff voice did Hinata finally turn back to her classmates.

"So, let me get this straight," The tattooed male murmured suddenly. "You're crushing on a girl that, not only is your little sister's tutor, but also potentially has a boyfriend?"

Hinata pursed her lips, a small frown marring her bow. At her curt nod, Kiba reached across the table to clasp his hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Shino closed his novel once again. "Don't worry," He promptly assured, "We'll help you any way that we can."

Hinata graced them with a warm expression, a broad grin playing on her lips.

Their moment was broken by the sound of the bell, signaling the impending start of the next class period. It was then that Hinata realized her predicament

"Oh no!" She groused with a note of panic in her voice. "I never got to finish my math homework!"

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count:** 1,206  
 **last edited on:** 03/30/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Here's the next installment. I think I'm going to rewrite this story in the near future. Look out for that!

 **title** : morphine dreams, written for anonymous  
 **prompt** : telling a stranger your life story  
 **pairing** : naruto x sakura  
 **genre** : romance / general  
 **rating** : t

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

The elevator doors closed with a miniature ' _ding_.'

Sakura absentmindedly watched the numbers above the metal entryway light up, signaling her descent.

Chewing on the inside of her right cheek, the petite woman tried to wrap her mind around one single thought, her temples throbbing as she strived to formulate some type of order to her unmethodological mind.

Typically, the end of her workday was filled with excitement, especially if the end of said shift would be followed by the next two days off of work. Instead of basking in the delight of having some time to herself, Sakura felt thoroughly anxious. There were too many things on her mental 'to-do' checklist, and the pinkette found herself distractedly preoccupied; her attention drawn inward, unintentionally ignoring colleagues and coworkers who filtered in and out of the lift during her downward journey.

There were a few stops she had to make on her way home, the grocery store being the first on her agenda. The food pantry in her apartment had seen better days. If Sakura had another bowl of cereal for dinner this week, she was sure she was going to turn into a Cheerio.

There was also the issue of Ino's birthday present. Her best friend's party was coming up this weekend, and Sakura had yet to find a gift that would be considered perfect for the occasion. Though the blonde insisted on nothing over the top, Sakura still wanted to spoil Ino on her special day.

Maybe she could take a detour on her way home and stop at that day spa? Ino would appreciate a voucher for an all-inclusive day of pampering. With her best friend getting further along in her pregnancy, Sakura was sure that the days Ino was spending out of her home were numbered. It would be a welcomed reprieve before the blonde was placed on bed rest.

The rosette was brought out of her musings when the door to the elevator slid open, revealing the absolute pandemonium that happened to be the emergency room.

Sakura scrambled into the fray of bodies, expertly maneuvering through mayhem towards the large, automatic glass doors on the opposite side of the room.

The scent of blood and anesthetics filled her nose, and for a moment, the cherry-haired woman found herself smiling despite the frantic setting. There was never a dull day at Konoha University Hospital. She had started out as a medical student, thrown into the intern rotation of the emergency ward during the first semester of her junior year.

The ever-changing scene, filled day to day with different doctors, unique patients, and arduous tasks gave Sakura a such a rush; it made her feel _alive_. There was nothing better than assisting a patient in the fight for their life; to see that person mend and heal under the tips of her fingers.

It was a euphoric high; the elation and adrenaline she felt during those shifts was beyond compare. Though Sakura loved her mentor for taking her under her wing – and thus jumpstarting her career in the neurology ward – she still found herself sometimes wishing for a position that had a little less paperwork and a bit more action.

Halfway to her destination, someone called out to Sakura, breaking her from her reflections.

"Dr. Haruno!"

Begrudgingly, she bit back the groan that threatened to escape her lips, smothering her face with her hands.

Fleetingly, Sakura wondered if she remained like that if the person seeking to get her attention would completely overlook her. Maybe they would just take the hint and find the aid they needed with another physician?

She was so close; so, so, _so_ close to the end of her shift, and there were far too many tasks for her to complete unrelated to the hospital. Now was not the time to be drawn into something that would most likely sidetrack her for the next hour.

Her salvation was beyond those doors, and after a fifteen-hour day, Sakura wanted to do nothing more than to make a run for it. She may not be particularly fast, but she figured she had a good enough head start to make it to the exit before whoever was looking for her caught up with her.

At the constant hail of her name, Sakura knew that she had hesitated too long, and the emerald-eyed woman bitterly concluded that she would not be going anywhere anytime soon. Lifting her face from her palms, Sakura turned to regard the short, brown-haired girl as she drew near.

Straightening upon the nurse's arrival, a small, strained smile playing on Sakura's lips. "Yes?" The pink-haired doctor inquired. "Can I help you with something?"

Sakura didn't recognize the younger girl before her, so she could only assume that she was either a new employee or a student in one of her first rotations.

"I'm really sorry to bother you," The blue-eyed girl apologized, panting as she caught her breath. "Tsunade-sama sent me to come find you. She warned me that you might be on your way out, but I'm glad I caught you in time."

At the mention of her mentor's name, Sakura's lips pursed, drawing down into a tiny frown. There were very few reasons why her boss would send someone to hunt her down, especially when Shizune was working the same shift. Whatever it was, it must have been urgent, because the brunette before her was fidgeting impatiently, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"What is it? Is there something wrong?" Sakura asked.

"If you could follow me, please?" The girl questioned, half-turning away. She gestured for the pinkette to follow, making a beckoning motion with her hand before she began to weave into the crowd around them.

After only a moment's hesitation did Sakura begin to follow, instantly falling into step beside the shorter female.

"My name is Yuma, by the way," The shorter girl quickly clarified. "An old friend of Dr. Senju's came in a little while ago and brought in a couple of his… _friends_ …for treatment. They're beat up pretty badly. Tsunade-sama said that she would like you to take a look at them."

There was something about Yuma's tone, it was edgy, and it made a wave of unease was over Sakura. Whenever Tsunade had a ' _colleague'_ – and she was using that term loosely – come to visit, her supervisor tended to get herself into some type of trouble. Hospital protocol went out the window when a companion from her mentor's past was around. Sakura, along with most of the other staff, tended to overlook the older blonde's antics. The thought of herself currently being dragged into one of Tsunade's side projects made Sakura slightly cautious.

The duo slipped out of the crisis ward, and Yuma lead Sakura down a separate corridor which housed the wing of private examination rooms.

At the end of the hall they turned down, Sakura observed three figures huddled together. The closer they drew, the more details she could make out. The trio was made up of all men, two of which, were standing with their backs towards her.

One was tall and somewhat lanky, with an unruly mop of silver hair. The other was closer to Sakura's height, though she couldn't get an accurate read on his build because of the loose fitting, navy-blue tunic he wore. The second man's onyx hair stuck out at an odd angle, but what caught her immediate attention was the dark smear of crimson that stained the back of his neck, tinting the collar of his shirt a vibrant purple.

The third and final man easily towered over both of his companions, and he was the only one facing in her direction. Sakura couldn't make out his face; his body was slumped, leaning towards his friends as they continued their discussion.

What caused Sakura to relax slightly, was the third male's mane of white hair, which was quite hard to miss due to its bushiness and length.

She repressed the urge to smile, her nose scrunching up as she fought against the impulse. Sakura would recognize that head of hair _anywhere,_ and though it had been years since she had last seen him, Sakura was confident in her hypothesis of just who Tsunade's guest happened to be.

"Jiraiya…?" The pinkette tentatively called out.

At the sound of her voice, all three men stiffened, the two with their backs facing her pivoted in her direction, movements tense, as three pairs of infinitely dark eyes regarding her suspiciously.

Jiraiya glanced at her from over the heads of his associates, holding the same expression of wary apprehension at the sight of her. After his analytical gaze slid to her bubblegum pink hair, however, a broad, feral grin curled on his lips and recognition dawned.

"Sakura-chan!" He bellowed in welcome, pushing past his two comrades to rush to her side.

Immediately, he enveloped her right hand in both of his own, bringing it up towards his face so that he could brush his lips across the back of her knuckles.

"You're as lovely as I remember," The older gentleman practically purred.

Sakura snatched her hand back as if scalded.

"And you're just as much of a flirt as I remember," The green-eyed woman countered, though there was no real displeasure in her barb.

A tiny smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. "It's good to see you," Sakura said, her voice filling with warmth. "It's been far too long."

"Indeed, it has," Jiraiya agreed with a sagely nod. "It's been, what? Four years now?"

"Sounds about right," She coincided. "I was _actually_ beginning to miss you," She commented dryly, her sarcasm earning her a soft chuckle.

Sakura had known the older male from her earlier years at the hospital. To this day, she wasn't exactly sure what the relationship between Jiraiya and Tsunade was, nor did she have any idea as to what white-haired male actually did for a living that brought him around to the hospital so frequently.

Jiraiya had a habit of showing up out of nowhere, either prowling around the nurse's stations or spontaneously showing up in her mentor's office uninvited. Having been working with Tsunade closely then, Sakura was prone to dealing with him and his… _amorous_ tendencies.

Despite his odd behaviors, she felt a sort of kinship with the older gentleman. Jiraiya was a breath of fresh air that the hospital needed, especially on some of the darker days.

"So, it's safe to assume you're the old friend of Tsunade's that came to visit, but who…," Sakura cocked her head to the left, peering around Jiraiya so that she could catch a glimpse of the other two men. "Are they?"

Now that she held an unobstructed view, the cherry-haired woman could fully discern both males and their state of unruliness.

Despite the color of his hair, the taller of the two was younger than she originally anticipated. Though a surgical mask covered a majority of his face – odd, but not unheard of when visiting a hospital – the lack of crows feet around his eyes, paired with a lack of age lines wrinkling his brow, made Sakura believe he had to be in his late thirties, possibly early forties.

Dressed in a simple outfit of baggy, acid wash jeans and a short-sleeved black t-shirt, nothing else seemed out of place save for the excessive number of bandages that covered his right forearm. Whoever wrapped him up did so in haste, and apparently, had no medical training whatsoever for the dressings hung loosely and haphazardly.

Viridian eyes slid to the dark-haired male, who seemed to be more worse for wear than his companion. His face was covered in blotches of purplish-blue, and there was a small gash above his right eyebrow that was still bleeding. He seemed closer to Sakura in age, but she really couldn't tell with all the discoloration caused by the bruising.

The stain she had noticed earlier wrapped around from the nape of his neck, settling into a large mauve pool on the front of his shirt. He had been – and still was – bleeding profusely, and instinctively, Sakura took a step in their direction.

She didn't make it very far. Jiraiya, who quickly caught on to her intentions, sidestepped in front of her, successfully cutting off her path.

Emerald eyes flicked back in the older male's direction, a brow raised in question. In response, the white-haired gentleman rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, releasing a short, nervous chuckle.

"Ah, those two are fine," He stated hurriedly.

Jiraiya reached out then, wrapping an arm around her waist, propelling her - none too gently - towards the examination room that was closest to their group. "Introductions could be made later. Right now, I need you to take a look at my apprentice."

"Apprentice?" Sakura parroted in a disbelieving tone.

"Yes, you see, a…." He toiled with the right word for a moment. " _Scuffle_ broke out, and my dear apprentice found himself smack dab in the middle of it. A wrong place, wrong time scenario, if you would. Usually, Tsunade handles these types of situations should they arise, but she's tied up at the moment. She sent me the next best thing, though: her number one student."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Jiraiya's sweet words, and her skepticism grew tenfold. Not only was she not fond of his vagueness on whatever it was that was going on, but he was also stopping her from treating a wounded man that was standing right in front of her. And what on earth did Jiraiya do that allowed him to have a _pupil_?

Shaking out of his hold, Sakura turned to confront Yuma, who had been watching the entire scene with wide-eyes, apprehensive eyes.

"What did Tsunade-sama say to you exactly?" The pink-haired doctor asked, gesturing towards the injured men. "Did she specify who should be treated first? Or if I should be treating any of them, for that matter?"

"Well... _not exactly_ ," The young intern replied timidly. "You see, Dr. Senju simply said, 'Whatever Jiraiya says, goes.'"

Slightly confused, Sakura's lips parted and a frown formed between her brows. She merely starting at Yuma, trying to discern _why_ her boss was getting her involved in something like this.

She blinked once, then twice, before her expression morphed into a scowl, her frustration cutting through her surprised stupor.

Sakura growled out her inquiry. "And where exactly is Dr. Senju at the moment?"

Yuma flinched back at her tone. "S-She had a surgery scheduled for this evening. She said that you would take care of everything."

The rosette shifted her hardened gaze towards Jiraiya, who, much to her chagrin, didn't seem to be phased by the glare. After years of being friends with Tsunade, he was probably invincible to anyone's leer.

Slowly, Sakura shifted to peer towards the two other men, both of whom seemed just as unperturbed as Jiraiya. Realizing that she was not going to get any answers out of anyone at this point, Sakura settled her glower on the white-haired male once more.

"Anything else I need to know before I go treat him?" The question was directed towards Yuma, though she kept her eyes level with Jiraiya, who was now grinning at her cheekily.

"Well…" The brunette trailed off, her voice soft. "It seems that the first nurse to see him gave him a dose of morphine to help with his pain. Only after did she notice Tsunade-sama's handwritten note in his chart to _not_ give him painkillers of any kind."

Sakura's head snapped in the intern's direction, her inquiry holding a hint of panic. "Is he allergic?"

Before Yuma could answer her question, Jiraiya placed both hands on her shoulders and resumed pushing the pinkette towards the door.

"The effects are adverse, but not deadly," The older male assured. "He just tends to get a little out of hand. I really just need you to sew him up and give him a clean bill of health. Then, we'll all be out of that pretty pink hair of yours."

Somewhat fed up with being manhandled, Sakura broke free of Jiraiya's grasp once again, rounding on him. This entire scenario screamed ' _unnatural_ ,' and if Tsunade wanted to get involved with whatever game Jiraiya was playing, that was her prerogative.

Personally, Sakura would have liked to remain blissfully unaware of her mentor's secret dealings. She should be on her way home right now _damn it._

"I may not know the full story of what is going on here," She ground out, forcefully poking the white-haired male in the chest. "But I _will_ have my questions answered when I'm finished with him."

Without waiting for a response, petite woman spun around in a flurry of pink hair, stomping the rest of the way towards the examination room. Yanking the door open, Sakura composed herself somewhat, straighten her spine before she slipped inside, the door snapping shut behind her.

It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the brighter lighting of the hospital room, but when her vision cleared, Sakura finally caught a glimpse of her would-be patient.

Sitting propped up on the large chair in the middle of the examination room was a man, who, much like his onyx-haired friend on the other side of the door, was riddled with bruises. Without a shirt on, Sakura could see that there was not a patch of his sun-kissed skin that wasn't unmarred and she couldn't help but give a cringe in sympathy.

He was tall; taller than her at least, tousled blonde hair damp and clinging to his forehead in certain spots. Most of his weight was shifted to the right side, his awkward lean barely keeping him upright. His left hand pressed a sheet of gauze into his right bicep; red bloomed on the alabaster cloth, the stain visible between his splayed fingers.

He looked up at her entrance, vibrant emerald locking with hazy cerulean.

Momentarily, the rosette thought that she had seen him before, somewhere in passing, but she couldn't quite put her finger on where she should know him from.

Brushing the thought aside, she took a step further into the room.

"Hello," Sakura greeted. "My name is Dr. Haruno. Tsunade-sama sent me to take a look at you."

He didn't reply, and the lack of continued communication caused an unpleasant silence to descend on the room.

After a short stretch of strained noiselessness, he finally spoke. " _Oh…_ " He stated, airily. "You're absolutely _gorgeous_."

Thrown off canter by the spontaneous compliment, Sakura's eyes widened a fraction, and she almost – _almost –_ found herself blushing like a schoolgirl.

"Um…Thank you?" She hesitantly responded, trying to relax her rigid stance as she cautiously crossed the room towards the cot.

His stance swayed slightly, and a Cheshire grin curled on his lips. "You're quite welcome," He rasped in a tone that sounded suspiciously similar to the one Jiraiya used when he was trying to pick up one of the nurses.

Ignoring the way that his eyes followed her every movement, Sakura focused all of her attention on his wound. Plopping down in the stool next to the examination chair, she reached over and seized his hand in one of her own, gently trying to pry it away from the injury.

Her first two attempts were met with resistance, and after another minute of failing at loosening his grip, Sakura sat back with a huff, green eyes narrowing.

"Can you please move your hand?" She asked with feigned civility.

He ignored her plea and instead, reached up with his with the hand not clasped against his bicep and seized the lapel of her lab coat, yanking her forward so abruptly that Sakura almost fell out of her chair.

"The name's Naruto," He cooed, breath ghosting against her cheek. "What's yours?"

Their sudden closeness, paired with his brazenness, disrespect, and the downright bizarreness of the entire situation, caused Sakura to flush in anger and mortification.

"Not _interested_!" She snapped, smacking his hand away. He jerked back and wobbled, unable to get a proper bearing on his balance. For safe measure, Sakura scooted her stool back a smidge.

She was suddenly all too aware of what Jiraiya meant when he said that his pupil became _problematic_ under the influence of anesthetics.

The kid acted like a drunk lecher.

Just how, _how_ , did she end up in these situations?

"I need to take a look at your injury to assess the damage," She explained through clenched teeth, unable to hide her mounting ire. "To do that, I need you to move your hand away. Can you do that, _please_?"

The blonde's foggy gaze slowly slid from Sakura's face, to where his left hand was gripping the opposite arm. With an excruciatingly robotic stiffness, his slender fingers lifted off the bandage one by one, allowing the sheet of gauze to fall to the floor with a wet ' _plop_.'

The slash was a thick, jagged laceration, blood now trickling from the wound without the bandage blocking its path. Luckily, whatever caused the injury hadn't torn through too much muscle tissue. Crouching down so she could further inspect the damage caused, Sakura pivoted her head from side to side, appraisingly examining the cut from different angles.

She stood from her chair with a click of her tongue. "That is definitely going to need stitches. Luckily for both of us, you're already sedated."

Sakura ventured towards the cabinets that hung on the opposite wall, rummaging through their contents to gather the supplies necessary to sutra the abrasion closed.

When she turned back around, objects procured, Sakura found the blonde – _Naruto –_ staring down at her legs with appreciation, the skirt she had worn that day hiding nothing from her knees, down.

"Hey, buddy! Eyes up here!" The pinkette barked, shaking one of the metal clamps in his direction.

Naruto's head snapped up so quickly that it threw him even further off his already unstable equilibrium. The momentum propelled his upper body further backward, and he ungraciously slumped back into the pads of the examination chair.

" _Woah_ …" He murmured, befuddled. "The room is _spinning_."

Emerald eyes rolled skyward, and Sakura released a dejected sigh, shoulders slumping.

"Just do me a favor," She muttered defeatedly. "Please _stay_ there. Don't move. Don't sit up. _Just stay._ "

Naruto released a small snort, awkwardly raising his left hand to give her thumbs-up.

The next few minutes passed with little interruption from the fair-haired menace. Sakura was able to reclaim her perch next to the table and start cleansing the wound. When she began to sew the laceration, shut, she had expected some sort of outburst on his part, but to her surprise, he didn't even flinch.

For an instant, Sakura thought he had fallen asleep, his breathing deep and even. She was proven wrong, however, when she glanced up from underneath her lashes and found sky-blue eyes trained directly on her face. There was something about the way he looked at her that made Sakura skittish, a queasy feeling fluttering in her stomach.

With a grumble, Sakura turned back to her task and only after another lull of silence passed between them did she finally gamble in asking, "Want to tell me how it happened?"

Naruto huffed dramatically before responding, "This is what happens when your caretaker is a pervert, you coach is a lazy piece of shit, and your best friend is a _bastard_."

Sakura paused in her stitching, looking up from his arm with a raised brow.

"Care...taker?" She repeated, slowly. "Coach?"

The blonde grunted in confirmation, theatrically waving his free hand in the air as he continued to explain. "I live with the old pervert. You know, the one with the crazy white hair and the insatiable need to hit on every woman that breathes?"

At Sakura's dumb nod, Naruto continued. "Jiraiya took me in after my parents died. He's a retired kendo fighter, and after a few years of training me, he noticed that I had a knack for different styles of martial arts. He reached out to the scarecrow with legs, the one outside with the prematurely gray hair and _bam_ I now have a trainer and a coach."

Naruto tried to clap his hands together for emphasis, but Sakura's hold on his right arm kept him in place, preventing any further injury to his person and damage to her work.

Her mind was working a mile a minute, trying to make sense of all the knowledge that he had just graced her with, while also attempting to comprehend _why_ he had told her such personal information.

Well, the morphine was most likely the cause for his loose lips, but then again, none of what he was telling her made any sense.

The one thing that did stick out, over everything else that he had rambled, was that he was a fighter. Emerald hues perused her client, giving a slow once over, honing in specifically on the scar-like whiskers that were hidden under the blotchy, bruised skin on his face.

Realization hit her swiftly, the force of it practically stealing the breath away.

"You're that guy that they're always talking about on the news!" She accused, shock written on her features. "The mix-martial artist!"

The pitch of her exclamation was too high for Naruto's liking, and he cringed, using his free hand to cover his left ear.

"…Pretty and _loud_ …," He murmured under his breath before his hand fell back down to his side, resting limply on the cushion. "But, yeah, that would be me."

"But…but what are you doing here?!" She asked, still flabbergasted.

"Granny's my personal doctor," He explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. It took Sakura a second to realize that he was talking about her mentor, Tsunade. And suddenly, Sakura understood exactly what her boss was involved in.

Azure eyes regarded favorably, a smile – one which Sakura could only describe as predatory – pulling on his lips as he said, "Though, I wouldn't complain if you were going to take over that position."

At the waggle of his eyebrows, Sakura shot him a deadpan look. "Still _not_ interested."

Turning back to her work, the pink-haired doctor found herself fighting down the childish urge to poke him unnecessarily with the needle.

"None of this explains why you're here," She spoke offhandedly.

She paused for a moment, shifting the forceps further down along the wound. When she was satisfied with the new grip, she continued with her assignment.

"It's all their fault really," Naruto affirmed. "The old man opened his mouth and hit on the wrong girl. The next thing I knew, the entire bar was after us." After a slight pause, he sulkily added, "Didn't help that neither Kakashi-sensei or Jiraiya just stood on the sidelines. Sasuke and I took most of the beating."

Sakura accepted his explanation, concluding that the two names she didn't recognize must have been the other men who had come to the hospital with Jiraiya. The room lapsed back into silence then, and it didn't take much longer for Sakura to finish sewing his injury closed.

After applying an antibacterial ointment around the sutras, the rosette placed a fresh gauze patch over the area, wrapping it securely in place with cotton bandages.

Relaxing now that her job was finished, Sakura pushed back from the examination chair, standing from her stool. Seeing that she had accomplished her task, Naruto sat up abruptly, wavering slightly with his sudden movement.

"Easy there, tiger," Sakura reprimanded, somewhat amused. "Don't go messing up my handiwork."

Naruto bobbed his head in acknowledgment, though he said nothing. Instead, his focus was directed toward the patchwork on his right arm, curling and uncurling his fist so that he could gauge the soreness in his muscles.

"Leave the current wrapping on for the next forty-eight hours. After that, you can change them daily. Make sure you put ointment on it every time you change the bandages. In about two weeks or so, you can come back, and Tsunade will take them out."

It seemed the blonde's lucidity still had yet to come back because all he did was stare at her absentmindedly, nodding his head every so often.

Blowing out a breath, Sakura brought her right hand up to rub her temple. "I'll have the nurse relay all this information to Jiraiya, and we'll make sure you get the supplies you need on your way out."

Straightening, she turned towards the door, offering a small wave "I would say that it was nice meeting you, but this has been the strangest encounter I have ever had with a patient. Next time, let's hope that they read your chart before administering any painkillers."

"Hey!" Naruto called out to her, causing the petite woman to stall her exit. "Go on a date with me!"

Sakura graced Naruto with a smile, one that was all pearl whites, before she turned back to the door, chuckling under her breath.

"Still _not_ interested!"

* * *

Thank you, everyone, for reading!

 **word count** : 4,843  
 **last edited on** : 03/24/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** Here's the next installment. I hope you enjoy!

 **title** : carside, written for anonymous  
 **prompt** : pack it up man; we're going on a roadtrip  
 **pairing** : naruto x sakura x sasuke  
 **genre** : romance / general / humor  
 **rating** : t

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

Sakura was pulled from her dreams by harsh whispers and the echoing jolt of her bedroom door.

Blearily, she stared up at the ceiling, blinking away the last remnants of sleep from her eyes. The banging against the entryway to her room persisted, jolting her tired form further awake. The pinkette propped herself up on her elbows, green eyes focused on the hardwood that gave another auditable cry under the unknown pressure.

Ever so cautiously slow, Sakura slipped from her haven of blankets, taking a tentative step in the direction of the door. She strained to listen for anything… _something_ …that would give her a clue as to what lay beyond the threshold of the oak archway.

There was a growl, followed by the shifting of what she could only assume was a body, and for a fleeting moment, the rosette relaxed.

Kakashi was notorious for releasing his dogs in her apartment and Pakkun, the ever-meddlesome pug, was constantly starving for her attention. Prompting him to scratch at her door anytime he was over.

Really, Sakura needed to have a sit-down discussion with her childhood friend. Just because she had known Kakashi for years, didn't mean that Sakura was going to look after his animal companions whenever he felt the compelling need to run off for a few days, no matter how _cute_ they happened to be.

Only after the rosette took another step towards the door did her composed state suddenly crumble; a muffled curse filtering through from behind the door. Kakashi's canines may have learned a lot of tricks over the course their lifetimes but _talking_ didn't happen to be one of them.

Whoever, or whatever, was shuffling around on the other side of that opening, abruptly stopped. The silence didn't last long, however. The clattering of metal filled the silence of her room, her doorknob rattling as some unknown force shook it.

Sakura swore that if this was one of Ino's convoluted pranks, little jokes that the blonde randomly liked to pull every once and a while because Ino got a kick out of scaring the emerald-eyed woman, Sakura was going to murder her best friend.

Irrevocably seeking answers, the cherry-haired female crept forward, drawn to the door, fingers wrapping around the handle. With a flick of her wrist, Sakura tossed the hatch open, quickly taking a step back to allow adequate space between herself and the would-be burglar.

The sight that greeted Sakura was something she hadn't been prepared for, and the pinkette's jaw unhinged as she drank in the scene before her.

There, sitting on his hands and knees, was Sasuke Uchiha, holding a hairpin – one that she distinctly remembered depositing on her bathroom counter the night before – suspended in the air before him.

Her lips parted further, mind trying to seek clarification on _what the hell_ was going on, but Sakura was unable to form any words. After a moment, her mouth closed with a sharp ' _click_ ' of her teeth, only to part once again after another moment of silence.

Cocking her head to the side, viridian eyes swam over his form, unsettled by the conclusions her brain was jumping to.

"Were you…," Sakura broke off her inquiry, not believing what she was about to ask. "Were you trying to _break in_?"

Onyx eyes narrowed at her question, and Sasuke regarding her coolly. The bobby slipped from his grasp, crashing to the floor as he stiffly stood. Sakura was unsure of how someone caught in this position could look so dignified, but Sasuke rose to his feet with all the regality of a prince, his usual mask of indifference encompassing his face.

"This was the Idiot's idea," Was all he offered in terms of explanation.

"You're telling me that _Naruto_ is responsible for this?" Sakura challenged, her tone incredulous. "That he told you to break into my apartment and my bedroom!?"

Nonplussed under her snapped questions, Sasuke softly chided, "Don't screech. It's not becoming for someone like you."

" _Not becoming!?"_ Sakura growled, hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I'll show you what's _not becoming_ , Uchiha!"

Before the situation could escalate any further, a familiar head a blond hair appeared at the end of the hallway.

"We didn't technically break in Sakura-chan," Naruto chirped with a sunny smile. "You gave us a key, remember?"

Never in her young life had Sakura regretted a decision more.

It was an inane idea to gift these two with a way to gain entrance to her humble abode, specifically, because of situations like _this_. Looking back on it now, Sakura couldn't understand why she had done it in the first place. She must have been tired from her hospital shift that afternoon because under no normal circumstances would the logical side of her brain be okay with something like that.

"Naruto…," The viridian eyed woman started, slowly attention drawn to the bundle the blond held in his hands. "Why are you holding my bath towels?"

Naruto blinked, confusion swimming in his blue gaze. He looked down at the folded garments in his fingers, then back at Sakura.

After a pregnant pause, he responded, in a tone that made it seem the answer was the most obvious thing in the world, "Because we're going to need them."

Sakura's mouth dropped open again, though her lips still refused to formulate the questions that were jumping around in her head.

"Close your mouth and pack your things," The raven-haired male commanded, brushing past Sakura as he entered her bedroom. "We're leaving in an hour."

The demand broke the green-eyed woman from her horrified stupor.

"Leaving? Leaving to go where exactly?" She questioned, rounding on Sasuke. He was impatiently digging through her dresser drawers, throwing shirts and jeans alike over his shoulder. The flying articles of clothing landed in a misconstrued pile, half on her bed, half on the carpet.

Sakura took a step in the Uchiha's direction, ready to verbally – and physically – reprimand him for his odd and demeaning behavior. As she was reaching out to yank him back by the collar of his shirt, Naruto entered the room, depositing – on top of the growing pile on her mattress – not only her bath towels but also a relatively impressive collection of her toiletries.

"I think I got most of them…," The knuckleheaded male murmured under his breath.

Reaching down, Naruto rummaged through the assortment of clothes and various belongings to extract a box, holding it out towards Sakura for inspection. "You're not going to need more than this, right Sakura-chan?"

Embarrassment and mortification flooded her system, and Sakura tried her best to fight down the rising heat in her cheeks. Scrambling across the room, she snatched the container of tampons out of Naruto's grip, cradling it to her chest.

"Alright, _enough_!" Sakura bellowed, finally drawing the attention of both men. "Either of you want to explain to me just what in the world is going on here? What are you doing here? And why are you destroying my room!?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, releasing a small sigh. Slowly, his gaze shifted to Naruto, gracing him with a pointed glower which indicated the Uchiha wanted the blond to explain.

"We're going on a road trip, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed with a broad grin.

"…A road trip…?" The pinkette parroted.

"Tch. Yes, a trip. Could you stop asking questions now and help us gather up what you need?"

Sakura turned her head in Sasuke's direction as he spoke, leveling him with a scowl.

"I can't just leave Sasuke. I have a job! And none of that explains why you were trying to break into my bedroom!"

"Well," Naruto started, gaining her attention once more. He rubbed the back of his head stiffly, releasing a nervous chuckle. "You didn't exactly wake up when we knocked. Plus, Sasuke thought it would be better if we pack up as much as we could without waking you. We know you had a late shift last night."

A bubblegum-pink brow rose in question, and her inquisitive stare turned back to the Uchiha. The slight rosy tint which broke out on Sasuke's pale cheeks answered the unspoken question, illustrating Naruto's words were true.

"We can't pack for you if your bedroom door is closed," Sasuke mumbled blandly.

The corner of Sakura's mouth twitched as she repressed a small smile, her stance half-shifting in Naruto's direction. "Either way," She commented lightly. "This doesn't change the fact that I can't leave with the two of you. What about my job? What about Ino? I can't abandon my responsibilities and my roommate."

"Write Yamanaka a note," Sasuke grumbled, turning back to the opened draws so he could continue his excavation of her attire.

"And don't worry about Granny or the hospital," Naruto assured. "We already took care of everything. You're covered for the next three weeks. Baa-chan said that you hadn't had a vacation in almost two years, and you have enough time saved up. She was more than happy to part ways with you for the time being."

A frown marred Sakura's brow. "You two went to my boss?"

At Sasuke's grunt and Naruto's jubilant nod, she continued, "And she said that she's okay with you two taking me on some spontaneous road trip? One that will require me to be gone for almost a month?"

As hard as the circumstances were to believe, Sakura wouldn't put it past Tsunade to agree to this baffling scheme.

Before either male could answer the question, Sakura started again, "Really, what is this all about?"

Tossing the box of feminine products on the bed, the rosette crossed her arms over her chest. Naruto, who had begun to fold the clothes which Sasuke had deposited onto the mattress, didn't answer right away.

"You're working too much," The Uchiha groused from his perch by her dresser.

"Plus," Naruto hummed, not taking his eyes off of the task in front of him. "It's your birthday next week. What better way to spend it than on some beach somewhere, sipping on a fruity drink, with the two of us?"

The query sparked the vivid image of Sakura lounging out under the sun, toes buried in the sand, and her every request completed by an eager Naruto and a surprisingly compliant Sasuke. Days spent traveling from city to city, and nights spent together in fancy, private hotel rooms…exploring the more _intimate_ side of their relationship. It was an incredibly tempting offer.

Caught up in the potential that this would-be vacation offered, Sakura's shoulders slumped, any resistance departing from her body.

"Alright," She softly coincided. "Finish packing before I change my mind. I'm going to make a quick bite to eat."

She spun on her heel, padding out of the bedroom and down the corridor towards her kitchen.

Halfway down the hallway, Naruto's thrilled cry of, "Yes! Vacation time!" reached her ears, and a tiny smile curled on her lips.

It was his follow-up statement that made her grin drop.

"Bastard, make sure you only pack her cute underwear!"

 _"Naruto!"_

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count** : 1,837  
 **last edited on** : 03/30/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Here is the next installment. I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : firefly, written for kairi-chan  
 **prompt** : this wasn't meant to be a date, but we've had such a good time and now it's 2 a.m. and I should really go home…  
 **pairing** : kiba x hinata (and some naruto x sakura if you squint)  
 **genre** : general / romance  
 **rating** : k

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

He found her on their training grounds, resting leisurely against the trunk of a tree, eyes trained on the star-filled night sky.

Kiba wasn't sure what brought him there; he just _knew_.

Perhaps it was because he had spent years as her teammate, or maybe it was because he had a knack for sniffing out issues which weren't his own. Nonetheless, he knew _something_ was wrong. Hinata's natural scent of blackberries and white tea was dulled, soured by something that he could only describe as melancholy.

Kiba had a particular soft spot for the ex-Hyuuga heiress, and though Hinata was typically shy, she was never pensive and to see her as such stirred something within his gut.

He approached at a leisurely pace, giving the blue-haired woman plenty of time to acknowledge him.

When she never turned her attention in his direction, Kiba couldn't help but frown, taking the opportunity to allow his dark eyes to rove over her slumped form. There was a small smile curling at the corner of her mouth, and for a brief moment, the Inuzuka wondered if disrupting her would be beneficial at all.

The sudden, deep shuttering breath she released was enough to wipe away Kiba's hesitation.

"What are you doing out here?" He inquired, voice gruff.

Hinata dipped her head to observe him then, and Kiba could make out the saddened mist that shrouded luminescent eyes.

Hinata's grin grew fractionally, and her right shoulder rose in a half-hearted shrug, answering his question with, "The clan dinner was a little too crowded for my tastes. I snuck off for some air."

Kiba knew her polite excuse was a lie; maybe more a half-truth than anything else. Something must have occurred with her father, and whatever it was happened to be drastic enough to make her withdraw. Though relations between Hinata and Hiashi had been rocky for years, Kiba – and many others – were under the impression that the relationship, though still tense, had taken a much friendlier direction.

It wasn't unheard of for the clan head to still criticize his oldest daughter, though that was more so when it came to training over anything else. Since Hinata gave up her birthright, passing the mantle of future leadership to her younger sister, the air about her had been lighter, happier even and it seemed Hiashi was content with keeping it that way.

To see such progress suddenly backpedal made Kiba's brow crease and his lips tightly purse.

"Well," he remarked, shifting his body so that he was crouched in front of her on his haunches. Holding out a hand in her direction, the brunette stared at her expectantly. "Time to go, come on."

A dark-blue brow rose in question, but Hinata didn't pause to ponder his actions, sliding both of her hands into his own.

He stood, and with a quick tug, she followed.

Back on her feet, the ex-Hyuuga heiress freed herself from his grasp, brushing off any lingering foliage that clung to her clothing. Kiba allowed her the time to straighten her appearance, but once she was finished, he reached out once more, seizing her left hand as he began to gently drag her back towards the village.

The Inuzuka tried to ignore the fluttering that swelled in his chest at the feel of her icy extremity entwined within his hold. Just how long had she been out here?

Hinata, having been used to Kiba's more forward behavior throughout the years, offered little resistance as he lead her along, both lapsing into a comfortable silence.

Only when the dirt path they were trekking gave way to paving stones and the night sky became dimmed by the light from the streetlamps did Hinata finally venture to question where he was taking her.

"Um…Kiba," Her soft voice called out, as she pulled them both to a stop. "Where exactly are we going?"

Refusing to release his newfound charge, Kiba flashed her a brief grin before pulling the navy-haired woman down a side street which connected to the main road in this half of the village. Hinata recognized a few of the bars and restaurants that littered both sides of the street from the few instances that she had gone out with Ino and Sakura.

"Our group of friends just so happen to be getting drunk at a bar nearby," Kiba explained, black hues shifting to regard her out of the corner of his eye. "And by the looks of things, you could use a drink."

Hinata tittered, a small bell-like giggle that was accompanied by the quick, quirk of her lips, showing that she was appeased with his explanation.

They wandered the rest of the way to their destination in that same relaxed quietness. Upon their arrival, Kiba held the door open for her, and with a tiny bow of her head in thanks, they both entered the rowdy establishment.

-o-

When they initially entered the pub, Lee enthusiastically flagged them down, the remaining Rookie Nine welcoming them with their own variations of greeting.

Hinata nestled herself between Ten-Ten and Sakura, and Kiba felt himself relax somewhat. The Hyuuga's reticent mood seemed to diminish the longer she was amongst the company of their companions, but the Inuzuka couldn't help but pass glances in his female teammate's direction every few minutes. Just because she appeared to be feeling better, didn't mean that was indeed the case.

As per usual, his subtly was non-existent. More often than not, he found himself locking gazes with the subject of his scrutiny. Hinata didn't seem taken aback by his continues check-ins. Every time, she gave him a small smile before she turned her attention back to whatever conversation she was a part of.

Kiba convinced himself that the alcohol was the reason behind the flush on his cheeks, not the secretive looks they shared.

The rest of the night past in a blur. Hinata may not have been much of a drinker, but she kept her own pace amongst the rest of them and one by one, their friends dropped like flies.

Shikamaru had been the first to depart, stating that having a hangover would be too ' _troublesome_ ' to deal with the next day. It wasn't long after the shadow user left that Ino fell asleep against Choji.

The Akimichi heir left shortly after, along with a sober Lee, who was carrying a significantly inebriated Ten-Ten. Somewhere amongst the chaos, Shino disappeared without a word.

The time was nearing two in the morning when the bartender informed them that it was last call. A surprisingly clearheaded Sakura graced them both with a broad grin, promising to catch up with them sometime soon before she gathered up the slumped form of her blond significant other and disappeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms.

Kiba and Hinata chose a more traditional route, traversing the now quiet streets of Konoha. They walked at a steady pace, neither in a hurry as they swap stories, recounting pleasant memories from their youth.

After Kiba shared a particularly embarrassing story from when he was a child – sake seemed to loosen his lips just a little _too_ much – they lapsed back into a comfortable silence, drawing near the Hyuuga compound.

He heard Hinata release a dejected sigh and it immediately caught his attention, black eyes shifting to her face, surprised to see such a whimsical expression.

"Father wants me to marry a figurehead from another clan," She murmured, not looking in his direction.

To say Kiba was surprised was an understatement. He stumbled, right foot catching the heel of his left, and he pitched forward. Hinata's quick reflexes saved him from a face full of dirt, and she steadied him with a hand on his shoulder and the other on his chest, all while a tiny, cat-like smirk played on her lips.

"Not the reaction I was expecting," Hinata stated, voice laced with mirth.

The words were out of his mouth in a jumbled flurry before he even realized that they were past his lips. "That absurd! You can't get married."

The opal-eyed woman's face softened. "You do realize that I'm almost twenty-two, right?"

And _that_ gave Kiba pause.

Despite the fact that peace reigned since the Fourth Shinobi War, they were all still ninja. Their life expectancy was already low, and most were lucky to have survived as long as they have. Their friend group had already lost one too many.

Given the circumstances of Hinata's occupation, family, and previous title, it shouldn't come as a shock that Hiashi wanted to marry off his eldest daughter, securing a somewhat stable future for the once heiress.

Hinata stepped away from him, once again meandering down the street. As if sensing the questions beginning to form in his mind, she continued. "He told me at the dinner tonight, and as you can guess, I didn't take the news very well."

Kiba trailed behind her languidly, eyes trained on the back of her head as he listened with keen interest.

"The longer I sat there and thought about it, the more I realized that I'm not entirely mad about the situation. I really don't know how to feel about it, truthfully."

Her nonplussed behavior ignited a fire within his chest, and Kiba had to fight down his rising ire as Hinata continued to explain. "I think the circumstances are a bit odd, but my father is allowing me to choose who I wish to start a union with, rather than arranging it for me. That's more than I thought he would allow."

She stopped walking, half-turning in his direction once again. "I don't suppose I could convince you and Shino to play matchmakers for me?"

Her lackluster attempt at a joke pained him, but he responded with his usual smile nonetheless. Kiba knew it didn't reach his eyes.

It wasn't long before they reached the front gates of the Hyuuga compound, neither having said a word since Hinata's disheartening confession about her soon-to-be changed relationship status. The entire thing left a bad taste in his mouth.

His teammate regarded him once more, preparing herself to say goodbye and Kiba knew then that he had to do _something_.

Hinata had been through far too many trails to prove herself not only to her family but their friends as well.

This was no longer the timid girl that hid behind him and stammered when they were in the academy. This was a woman who strengthened herself and turned away from the path that was predestined for her. It would be a cold day in hell before he watched Hinata wither away under a political marriage.

"You know," Kiba started, stalling their parting. "I may not be an heir or a figurehead, but I am a part of an important clan."

The navy-haired woman took in his words, digesting them for a short moment before both brows rose high on her forehead. His implication was clear.

"Kiba!" Hinata squeaked. "I-I couldn't….W-we c-couldn't…" Her hands waved back and forth in front of her in a dispelling motion, pale cheeks taking on a sudden and vibrant blush.

The brunette huffed, brushing the back of his hand along the underside of his nose. "You could at least go on a date with me before you reject me."

He didn't know where his confidence was coming from. Maybe it was the alcohol, because truthfully, as the words passed his lips, Kiba felt like he was going to vomit.

Hinata was still as stiff as a board, but her hands stopped waving about. For a long, drawn-out period, all they did was merely look at one another. Then, eventually, her shoulders finally relaxed.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked, tone hardened with the severity of the situation.

His reply was immediate.

"Yes."

Lavender eyes gazed at him cautiously for a moment before Hinata muttered, "I don't know why you're doing this, but…one date and we can see where it goes from there."

This time, Kiba's wolfish smile causes his eyes to crinkle in the corners.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven."

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count** : 2,015  
 **last edited on** : 05/01/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** Here is the next installment. I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : bundle, written for anonymous  
 **prompt** : does he know about the baby?  
 **pairing** : kakashi x sakura  
 **genre** : drama / romance  
 **rating** : t

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

"So, are you going to tell me what the problem is? Or are you going to have me keep guessing?"

Much like the other two previous attempts at cutting through the thick tension, Sakura's probe was met with silence.

Ino sat rigidly across from her, shoulders back, spine ramrod straight, both hands holding her cup of coffee in a white-knuckled grip. The position couldn't have been comfortable, but the rosette tried not to focus on such a little detail.

Something was _off_.

It wasn't unheard of for the duo to venture to lunch together, especially with Sakura's workload at the hospital tripling.

Two weeks prior, Tsunade decided an impromptu vacation to the Land of Tea was necessary, and with a note pinned to Shizune's apartment door, the Sannin spirited away in the middle of the night without so much as a backward glance.

Unsurprisingly, the retired Kage had yet to return.

Between double shifts and overseeing a new training program, Sakura barely had time for herself outside of her job, let alone her friends.

Naruto and Ino took the pinkette's increased absence personally, but luckily for the two pesky blonde's, it was hospital regulation for all staff to take a daily, hour-long lunch break. Most of Sakura's catching up was done in that small window of time; be it on additional work, gossip, or sleep.

Traditionally, Ino demanded that they meet during her time off at least _twice_ a week. During most of those instances, the women would share a few stories over some refreshments, much like they had planned to do today.

However, today was…different.

Not only did Ino arrive ten minutes late to their scheduled outing, but she also looked far too distracted for Sakura's liking. The bubbliness that the rosette had become accustomed to over the years was deadened, leaving a withdrawn and antisocial blonde, who hadn't said much beyond their initial greeting and ordering their meal with the waitress; despite Sakura's many, _many_ attempts.

She didn't need an Inuzuka's keen sense of smell, or to be a genius of Shikamaru's stature, to know that Ino was on edge, painfully so. The apprehension rolled off Ino in waves, making the Yamanaka heiress practically vibrate with repressed anxiety. For someone who rivaled Naruto in brashness, the blue-eyed woman was uncharacteristically subdued.

"Did Chouji not share his snacks with you?"

"Ten-Ten finally kicked your ass in a spar, didn't she?"

"I got it! Someone _finally_ called you ugly!"

Sakura's best efforts of trying to probe for the cause of the issue were met with noncommittal hums and annoyed grunts. At the end of her twenty questions, she could practically feel the frost from Ino's cold shoulder.

After that, trying to grab her best friend's attention proved to be futile. Cobalt hues were more intrigued with studying the décor of the restaurant than looking in Sakura's direction, and every inquisitive comment only seemed to increase Ino's mounting ire.

So, the emerald-eyed woman did the only thing she could do, bask in the awkward silence and enjoy her meal as peacefully as she could muster.

Somewhere between finishing off a plate of Yaki Udon and ordering another glass of iced tea, the blonde's mood shifted again.

Now, instead of evading glancing at Sakura, the pinkette was all Ino could stare at. It wasn't casual regard either; it was blatant _glowering_. It caused the hair on the back of Sakura's neck to stand in warning.

But…anger was okay; Sakura could deal with anger. At least it was _something_.

Placating an irate Ino had become second nature after all of their time together, but Sakura still didn't understand what the _reason_ behind said fury was.

As far as she was aware, things in her best friend's life were copasetic; family relations were still stable, the flower shop was as lively as ever, and Ino's relationship with the ever emotionally stunted Sai had been progressing by leaps and bounds.

"Are you going to keep ignoring me?" Sakura finally demanded. "The theatrics are getting on my nerves."

Azure eyes narrowed marginally, but the unpleasant silence continued, both women merely staring at one another. When it seemed that Ino wasn't going to answer her inquiry, Sakura sighed before lifting her glass of cold tea from the table, taking a small sip.

Only when her cup clattered back onto the tabletop did Ino finally clear her throat.

"I find myself in a peculiar predicament, Forehead," The blonde stated in a slow, calm tone. The use of her nickname was a positive, but the hesitance in Ino's tone made Sakura wary. "For the first time in years, I find myself extremely _mad_ at you."

Taken aback by the spontaneity and absurdity of the statement, green eyes just blinked, once, then twice, as Sakura tried to wrap her mind around the explanation that she had just been given.

Her surprised stupor didn't last long and, now, it was Sakura's turn to glare.

"You don't say," Sakura snipped testily, brow creased in exasperated curiosity. She paused to take another sip of her drink before she ventured, "And what, pray tell, are you mad at me for?"

It seemed the semi-impassive tone of her question broke the dam. Ino abruptly stood in a flurry of sun-colored hair, the movement catching Sakura off guard.

With hands clenched into fists at her sides, Ino's face contorted into a rather impressive frown before she screeched, "I'm _mad_ because you're pregnant and you told Sai before you told _me_!"

The unexpectedness of the screeched exclamation was like a swift blow to the gut and Sakura's chest constricted with bubbling anxiety, disquiet thrumming throughout her petite body.

Ino was looking at her, impatiently expectant, and the pinkette's immediate reaction was to shake her head, a jerky, graceless moment that had her bubblegum pink hair sashaying wildly as she tried to _deny, deny, deny_.

"I didn't...I don't…," Sakura tried to explain, but the words seemed to fail her. Before she could say anything that she would later regret, Sakura shut her mouth with an audible click of her teeth.

The two friends continued their standoff; Ino's ferocity unrelentingly baring down on a suddenly squeamish Sakura.

To make matters worse, what was once a busy and bustling dining room had now become ominously still. A quick perusal out of the corner of Sakura's eye confirmed that the _entire_ restaurant was indeed, looking at their table. Ino seemed oblivious to the garnered attention, but Sakura couldn't overlook the prying scrutiny.

 _Well, the cat's out of the bag now, isn't it?_

When the hushed murmurs started to become apparent, Sakura broke from her pensive trance.

Standing, she dug through her pocket, retrieving a few bills. Upon a double check that it was enough to pay for both of their meals, Sakura slapped the money on the table before sidestepping out of the booth.

"Come with me Ino," The emerald-eyed doctor muttered, not bothering to look back as she hastily crossed the room so that she could make her exit.

As the chime of the bell above the door signaled their departure, Sakura allowed herself to relax marginally. It wasn't long before she felt Ino behind her, sensed the animosity prickle against her bare shoulders.

Sakura beelined for a side street – which turned out to be more of an alley – a few paces from the diner's front door.

Finally tucked away from prying eyes, Sakura halted, released a slow, cleansing breath before gradually shifting, facing Ino once again.

Unfortunately for Sakura, said best friend seemed even more irritated than earlier. She supposed that if the roles were reversed and her best friend was being unusually secretive in a dark alleyway, Sakura would be in a foul mood too.

Squaring her shoulders, the coral-haired woman started with, "I didn't tell Sai. He found the box for the home pregnancy test last week during the team dinner at my apartment."

"So, you _are_ pregnant!" Ino cried. "How could you not tell me Forehead!?"

"I didn't want to tell anyone, Pig!" Sakura snapped, teeth bared.

It seemed that the entire situation caught up with her then and her shoulder's slumped, defeated. Huffing quietly, the cherry-haired female screwed her eyes shut, bringing both hands up to her forehead so that her pointer fingers could idly rub circles along her temples.

"I didn't want to tell anyone," Sakura mumbled dejectedly. "I wanted to wait until after my appointment with Tsunade when she got back. Naruto and Sai found out by accident. I would have loved to keep them in the dark about it, but it was kind of hard to deny the bright pink box sitting on my bathroom counter."

Ino's answer was not what Sakura had been expecting. "So, Naruto knows too!? This is insanity! How could I be the last one to find out!?"

"That's _really_ beside the point, Ino!" Sakura grouched, bottle-green eyes opening to shoot the blonde a half-hearted glare.

Ino crossed her arms, tilting her nose up into the air with a delicate sniff. It was silent for a few moments, neither woman moving from their position. Eventually, Sakura's hands dropped back to her sides, and Ino's posture became less stiff, more casually composed, though she didn't unravel her arms.

"How far are you along, Forehead?" The Yamanaka heiress inquired softly.

"Two months, give or take a week," Sakura replied, her tone placid.

"Does h-," Her best friend started but cut herself off in a rush. Sakura could tell that Ino was struggling with not making, whatever her question was, sound rude.

She knew what was coming.

Honestly, Sakura had expected it to be the first question Ino asked once she found out about the pregnancy.

"Does Kakashi know?" The blonde queried after only another second's hesitation.

Sakura's reply was an unladylike snort and a wistful curl of her lips. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure."

And that was the truth.

It was a week after Kakashi left on his most recent mission that Sakura started to notice some of the symptoms which came with the early stages of pregnancy. At first, it was the fatigue and the dizziness, but that could have been chalked up to her increased hours at the hospital. During the following week, however, she suffered from a few bouts of cramps. It was only when she woke up one morning and promptly expelled her dinner from the night before, did Sakura finally realize something was terribly _wrong_.

One trip to the pharmacy, a home pregnancy test and a personal medical scan later, Sakura had confirmed that she was in fact, expecting.

She didn't know how to feel when she received the news. Joy tingled down her spine initially, but it gave way under a wave of panic.

How would Kakashi take the news? Would he be happy? Upset? They never really discussed something like this happening.

They had been seeing each other since the Fourth Shinobi War, living with one another for the last six months, and everything just seemed to be going _right_.

They never discussed marriage, _never_ discussed kids.

It wasn't that Sakura didn't want a family of her own, or to take on her boyfriend's last name. It was just that, at this moment, she felt like she wasn't ready.

Kakashi was still an active shinobi, despite his increasing age, and also a principal advisor to Naruto. Sakura was working far too many hours at the hospital, and it was only bound to get worse when Tsunade finally retired.

Though she had Shizune to assist in the transition, there would be many bumps in the road, hiccups that occurred during all changes of that magnitude, and every one of them would occupy a significant amount of her free time.

How were they supposed to raise a child when they barely had enough time to see one another?

 _Well, they were about to find out_.

"I haven't written to him to tell him of the news, and if my threats were any good, neither of the boys would have sent word to him either. _But_ …" Sakura said, running her left hand over her face. "Now I understand why Pakkun was constantly snuffling around me before they left. He kept on giving me this odd, knowing look. He knew, and I wouldn't be surprised if he informed Kakashi of his suspicions."

"Damn," Ino griped. "Even Hatake knows before I do."

"Well, he _is_ the father of my baby. I think he deserved to know before anyone else. Seriously, Ino you're insatiable." Though Sakura's words were barbed, there was no real fire behind them.

The insult made Ino grin. "It's one of my special skills," The blonde chirped, causing viridian eyes to roll skyward. "You should get back to the hospital. I'll come over later, after your shift. We can discuss this entire situation in more detail, especially how you're going to tell that man of yours that you're knocked up."

Sakura released a bark of laughter, but before she could show the fair-haired woman any gratitude, Ino continued, "And you better bet your ass that I'm going to be named mini-Hatake's godmother. It's the least you can do since I was the _last_ to be informed of his or her conception."

 _"Ino!"_

-o-

The weight of the tiny box smacking against his leg was an uncomfortable, solid reminder, and he pushed his left hand into his pocket so that he could fiddle with the contents.

"Will you stop playing with that? You're gonna lose it Boss," Came Pakkun's gruff command. The pug was running in tandem with him, jumping from branch to branch with a relative, practiced ease.

"Maa," Kakashi rebuffed. "I won't lose it. I consider this to be as important as Icha Icha."

The ninken cast him a dubious, sidelong glance but said nothing else. They were making their way back to Konoha after being gone for a month. Pakkun was looking forward to Sakura welcoming him home by giving him a bath with their favorite strawberry scented shampoo.

The duo traveled for a few more moments in silence before the Copy-nin finally ventured, "Do you think she's going to be surprised?"

The pug thought back to the glittering, princess-cut engagement ring his master purchased in a village just outside the Land of Rivers. The stone set in the middle was an emerald, a few shades darker than Sakura's eyes.

"She'll love it," Pakkun affirmed with a curt nod. Then remembering something, the ninken smirked, before cryptically adding, "But I think the one who's going to be surprised is you, Boss."

* * *

Thank you for reading!

word count: 2,435  
last edited on: 05/01/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** Here is the next installment. I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : burrow, written for senju-sandwich  
 **prompt** : has anyone told you that you're fucking hot when you're mad / you woke me up at four am to cuddle?  
 **pairing** : kakashi x sakura  
 **genre** : humor / romance  
 **rating** : t (for language)

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

When Sakura slipped from her sanctuary of sheets, her primary goal was relieving herself.

Upon exiting the bathroom, the pinkette's new ambition was returning to bed, wrapping herself up in a cocoon of blankets, and once again becoming dead to the world.

Halfway through her objective – because she _had_ to burrow her way into the covers slowly; it had to be _just_ right – Sakura's tired mind abruptly became aware of a large… _something_ , hidden underneath her comforter.

 _Something_ that clearly was _not_ there before she left.

In her haste to escape from what could only be perceived as a threat, Sakura's legs became ensnared in the multitude of bedcovers, throwing her off balance and propelling her towards the floor.

The rosette landed in a tangled heap of quilts and limbs, hissing when the back of her skull met the carpet with excessive force. Immediately, she tried to disentangle herself, sitting up with little effort, glowing green hands tentatively prodding her abused scalp.

"What the _fu_ –"

Her grumbled curse was cut off by the sudden, stark illumination that encompassed the room, courtesy of the lamp that resided on her nightstand.

"Are you alright?" A familiar voice questioned, humor evident.

"Kakashi?" Sakura queried, emerald eyes shifting towards the bed.

As if answering a roll call that they used to do in an academy classroom, the voice merrily chirped, "Present!"

Sure enough, wrapped in her yellow cotton sheets was the Rokudaime himself, looking oddly pleased; like a cat who finally caught the canary.

"What are you doing here?" The cherry-haired woman demanded, cautiously extracting herself from her soft, fuzzy prison.

Sakura stood and gathered the blankets, allowing herself to take in the appearance of her surprise, night-time visitor.

Kakashi looked unkempt; silver hair uncharacteristically flattened in individual patches. The black cloth of his mask pooled loosely around his neck, revealing the two-day-old stubble that littered his jaw.

There were bags under his eyes, the blueish-purple marring the pale skin around his eyes. A half-healed slash rand along the expanse of his right cheekbone, unbandaged and – thankfully – not bleeding.

The copy-nin's reply to her question came in a tone that made it seem like the answer was the most obvious thing in the world, "I'm here to see you, Sakura-chan."

For an instant, Sakura relaxed, and a familiar warmth blossomed in her chest.

It had been a few days since she had seen last seen him. Her job at the hospital forced Sakura to work odd hours, and in the short amount of time that she was off shift, she was usually catching up training or sleep.

All the while, Kakashi was trapped in the confines of his own office, trying to run the village without losing his sanity. They both couldn't wait for Naruto to take up the mantle of Hokage.

As if suddenly remembering the man that she was dealing with, viridian eyes narrowed, and Sakura cautiously took a step towards the mattress.

"You came to see me?" The coral-haired woman inquired, pausing to glance at the clock on the dresser. When she continued, her tone turned incredulous. "…at _four_ in the morning?"

Kakashi rebuff was quick and casual, paired with that eye crinkle which never ceased to _piss her off_. "Maa, I missed you!"

He smiled at her then; a broad, goofy grin that was all pearly whites and made his mismatched eyes – dare she say – _sparkle_ in the dim lighting of her bedroom.

Sakura knew this look. Over the years it was used to disarm her, to catch her and her teammates off guard so that they wouldn't be angry with him over whatever it was that he had done. Used in this situation, only made her more apprehensive.

Kakashi was a private man, always had been and always would be.

Even throughout the course of their secret… or, semi-secret relationship – Sai honestly couldn't keep anything to himself – her ex-sensei remained aloof and apathetic. He was a man who placed high importance in the words he spoke, and though Kakashi reserved sweet nothings and special affections for Sakura when they were alone, it was rare for him to do so without prompting.

His withdrawn attitude never bothered her; it was what made Kakashi, Kakashi. Since the age of twelve, the perverted, gray-haired man taught her to look underneath the underneath and Sakura was confident with the knowledge that Kakashi's feelings for her were genuine.

She had more than enough tenderness and warmth for the both of them, and if expressing all of that sentiment made Sakura look like a mush when it was just the two of them, then so be it.

Yet, here he was, acting so out of character that the rosette couldn't help but wonder if it was _actually_ him lying there in her bed.

For Kakashi to show up at her apartment out of the blue was one thing.

For Kakashi to show up at her apartment out of the blue, grace her with a shit-eating grin, and say he _missed her_ with no reason nor encouragement, was another.

Sakura inched closer to the mattress, tossing the quilts which had fallen with her back onto the cushioned surface.

"What's wrong with you?" The petite woman asked skeptically. "And what happened to your face?"

Kakashi brushed off her first question with an ungraceful, dismissive wave of his hand. There was a moment's pause before he quietly murmured a response to her second inquiry.

"Genma," Was all he offered.

A thin, bubble-gum pink eyebrow arched in question.

"…Genma…?" Sakura parroted.

Kakashi gave an awkwardly curt nod, confirming that Sakura had heard him correctly, but offered no further explanation. Propping himself up on his right elbow, Kakashi's upper body shifted in her direction, and he reached out, beckoning her to join him. The movement was languid, yet almost stiff as he jerked his left arm at an odd angle.

Despite her uncertainty, Sakura answered the call, crawling back onto the bed dubiously slow. Once she was within arm's reach, Kakashi grasped her right bicep and yanked Sakura towards him.

The pinkette fell against his chest with a yelp. In the moment it took Sakura to gather her bearings from the sudden shift, her lover wrapped both around her waist, crushing her impossibly closer to him.

The silver-haired kage dipped down, pillowing his head against Sakura's collarbone, nose nuzzling against the soft skin of her neck as he made himself comfortable with a gratified hum.

"Kakashi! What are you do–" Sakura's knee-jerk objection died on her tongue as a new scent tickled her nostrils.

The haze clung to him; a mix of sweat, smoke, and the bitter tang of alcohol. The strength of it made her nose crinkle.

"Are you drunk?!" The green-eyed woman squealed in disbelief.

When he didn't justify her with an answer, Sakura gave into the childish urge to pull on his hair. With a swift, sharp tug, she got Kakashi to lift his head from it's resting place against her bust, his face contorted in a grimace.

When he _still_ didn't explain, Sakura scowled, her teeth grinding together as she bit out the one-word warning of, " _Kakashi_."

The underlying threat was not lost on him, and this time he acknowledged her, but not with the admission Sakura had prepared for.

"Has anyone ever told you," He rasped in a low octave. "That you're fucking hot when you're mad? Your face gets all flushed, and it's got to be the most attractive thing I've ever seen."

Instantaneously, Sakura released her hold on him and leaned back, both brows high upon her forehead. Her lips parted, ready to refute his statement, but the words died on her tongue. She blinked, once, twice, then a third time, before she smothered her face with her hands.

Kakashi, smugly satisfied that his comment had the effect that he was looking for, pried her hands away from her face. He lightly kissed Sakura on the tip of her nose before burying himself back into his previous position on her chest.

There was another moment's pause before he said, "I'm not drunk, by the way."

"You're a terrible liar," Was her rebuke.

She could smell the sake on his breath as it caressed her clavicle.

Though she couldn't see it, Sakura could feel his shoulders lift in an impassive shrug. "You say lair. I say innovative excuse maker. I was simply helping a friend who got lost on the road of life."

The pinkette shook her head, dryly stating, "And that road lead you both to a bar?"

Her boyfriend snickered before murmuring, "Possibly one or two."

Emerald eyes rolled skyward, and Sakura pushed Kakashi away from her before grabbing a pillow, tossing it at his head. The infamous copy-nin didn't even try to move out of the way, allowing the feather filled cushion to smack him right in the face.

He smiled at her again, that stupid fucking irresistible smirk that churned her insides and made butterflies flutter in her stomach.

"Let me get this straight," The rosette gripped, crossing her arms and trying – and failing – to hold onto what little ire she had. "You break into my room, after days of not seeing you, _and_ after a night out of drinking and doing god knows what with Genma, to what? Cuddle? You do realize that you have a meeting with your advisors scheduled for first thing in the morning, right?"

Kakashi cocked his head to the side, regarding her with a curious, considering expression.

"Technically," He started with a drawl. "You woke yourself up by going to the bathroom. I was minding my own business."

This time, Sakura swung out at him with her hand, a half-hearted smack aimed at his left temple. Unlike her previous attack, Kakashi evaded the lackluster onslaught, using her momentum against her.

The Rokudiame shifted forward, half-tackling, half-pushing his girlfriend back onto the mattress, trapping her underneath him before she could escape.

Sakura didn't fight the new position, huffing lightly as she shifted out from under his weight. She knew that she wasn't going to get a straight explanation from him and there was no further point in trying to ask questions about his odd behavior. If he said that he missed her, then he _missed her,_ and that was something she was willing to take.

Rolling onto her side, Sakura pushed back until she was flush against Kakashi's board chest, shifting around until she was more comfortable in his hold. When she finally stilled, snugly burrowed against him, Kakashi reached down to retrieve the blankets, carelessly throwing them over their prone forms.

He leaned over and turned off the lamp on the nightstand before he relaxed back into bed.

A few minutes passed in comfortable silence, Sakura no longer reluctant to bask in the warmth that her lover provided.

He suddenly broke the stillness of the dark room, hesitantly venturing with, "You'll cure my hangover in the morning before the council meeting…right?"

Her reply was uneager. The thought of Kakashi suffering through his conference with a mild headache causing a sinister smirk to curl on her lips.

"…Maybe."

* * *

Thank you for reading!

word count: 1,852  
last edited on: 05/01/18

ja mata ne  
nera zenn


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** Here is the next installment. I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : lean on, written for anonymous  
 **prompt** : just please be my best friend right now, not the guy I confessed my love to  
 **pairing** : naruto x sakura  
 **genre** : angst / friendship / romance  
 **rating** : g

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

He found her on his porch, leaning up against the front door, curled up in a sopping wet ball.

There was a split second where Naruto worried he had somehow managed to lock Sasuke out of the house _again_ , but one glimpse of the damp, bubblegum pink hair revealed who exactly his surprise visitor was.

The blond approached with caution.

Naruto hadn't heard from her in weeks – not since their falling out after, what he now dubbed, ' _the_ _incident'_ – and something deep in his chest _ached_ at the sight of her, shivering and soaked to the bone on his doorstep.

What could she possibly be doing here? Now? After all this time?

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto tentatively called out.

At the sound of his voice, the rosette's head snapped up at breakneck speed; flat, dispirited green orbs locked with his own. They were bloodshot and swollen from crying, rimmed with sunken pools of onyx. The same faded makeup framed the tear tracks which ran down the roundness of both cheeks. Where the wet, sloppy mix of mascara and eyeliner didn't cover alabaster skin, Sakura's complexion was flushed with angry, blister-like red patches.

In the back of his mind, Naruto vaguely remembered his best friend informing him that she usually broke out in hives when she was severely upset.

It took a moment for murky viridian depths to recognize him, but after they grew impossibly wide with acknowledgment, the dam broke.

Sakura's face crumpled in turmoil, and a strangled, agonized wail escaping her parted, chapped lips. She scrambled to stand, her movements overwrought and frantic as she half-crawled, half-launched herself in his direction.

Naruto met her halfway, panic-stricken. He was so unused to seeing this side of his childhood friend.

He grunted with the force of their collision, instinctively wrapping one arm around her waist so that he could keep her upright. Sakura's right hand clutched at the collar of his shirt, tugging impatiently on the cloth in tandem with her ragged breaths. One of her arms – he couldn't tell which one at this point – was squished awkwardly between them and Naruto was sure there would be a bruise on his right bicep in the morning where Sakura's left hand had the muscle imprisoned in a vice.

She was holding onto him as if he was her lifeline.

Just what was going on?

"I di-didn't," Sakura hiccupped between her tears. Her chin trembled against his collarbone, the wobbly movement causing her teeth to click together audibly. "I didn't k-kn-now wh-where to go."

Naruto's chest tightened at her defeated confession, and that unnerved pang from earlier became all-consuming, a trickle of trepidation slithering down his spine.

The tenseness in Naruto's shoulders – a stiffness that he hadn't realized that he was carrying – deflated, and his body slumped forward, encompassing the petite, cherry-haired woman in a tender embrace.

Right now, Sakura needed him, and there was _nothing_ that was going to stop him from helping her.

Their current fight be damned.

"Shh…," The blond cooed affectionately. "Shh, Sakura-chan. It's alright. I'm here."

He wasn't sure how long they remained under that awning, out in the rain, but enough time passed for his sweater to become drenched in a soggy blend of tears and the secondhand moisture from her own wet attire.

When a particularly strong gust of wind blew through the veranda, the fair-haired male quivered, though this time, not from the overabundance of repressed emotion.

Naruto expertly extracted himself from Sakura's secure hold, maneuvering the distraught woman so that she was facing the front door, flush against his chest. His coral-haired best friend had calmed down significantly, sniffling almost soundlessly as she bonelessly leaned against him.

Sakura went along without a fuss as Naruto corralled her through the door and into the townhouse.

Luckily, at this time of day, neither of his roommates were home. Sasuke was somewhat inept when it came to dealing with a hysterical Sakura and Sai…well, if the hole in the kitchen wall amounted to anything, it was that the socially stunted artist now knew better than to call the rosette 'ugly' when she was distressed.

Shuffling Sakura into the living room, Naruto gently guided her to the couch, carrying most of her weight as he assisted her when she sat down. He tried to ignore the way the carpet gave a wet ' _squish'_ underneath his sneakers, but he could already hear Sasuke bitching about the muddy mess they undoubtedly tracked throughout their home. The impending argument could wait, however, and Naruto brushed away any thoughts of the dark-haired Uchiha, instead focusing on studying Sakura face.

The color of her skin was eerily white, almost ashen in certain areas, contrasting greatly with the bright crimson that ran along her the expanse of her neck and the sides of her face.

"I'll be right back…," Naruto murmured, hesitating only slightly as he waited for her acknowledgment. It wouldn't be worth the effort of leaving the room if he were to come back to find her bawling.

At the small bob of her head, the blond ventured off down the corridor to his bedroom. Naruto kicked off his shoes, socks included and traded in his sodden shirt for an extra-large, pullover sweat-shirt. He could make do with some damp jeans for now.

A quick rummage through a few of his dresser drawers produced a pair of gym shorts and one of his old, long-sleeved rugby jerseys. With unrepressed haste, Naruto exited his room, stopping only to deposit the extra clothing in the bathroom before returning to Sakura's side.

She hadn't moved, nor did she look in his direction upon his reappearance.

For a brief, unpleasant moment, Naruto felt out of place and out of his depth, warily watching her as the sound of his heartbeat revibrated in his ears.

He tried to shake discouraging awareness of it all, but the picture that Sakura presented, this unnaturally, heartbreaking tranquility, filled him with immeasurable dread.

Whatever happened to her to make her react in such a way, must have been monumentally significant. Childish theatrics and throwing tantrums wasn't something that Sakura dabbled in; she never carried on like this without reason.

"Sakura-chan?" The blond ventured. Attempting to hide the slight note of discontent in his voice, Naruto cleared his throat before continuing, "I put some dry clothes in the bathroom for you. Why don't you go get cleaned up and change, while I make us some tea?"

There was a pregnant pause, then tortuously slow, Sakura lifted her head, shifting her gaze in his direction with languid unhurriedness.

And for a long while, all she did was stare.

It was enough to make Naruto fidget in an uncharacteristic shift of antsy restlessness. Never, _never_ in the history of their relationship had Naruto seen Sakura look so defeated.

Eventually, the pinkette rose from her perch, slipping out of the living room silently. Naruto turned to watch her pad down the hallway, disappearing into the designated sub-room. Only when he heard the soft _'click_ ' of the bathroom door as it closed, did he finally move towards the kitchen.

-o-

A short while later found them both back in the sitting room. Naruto sat stiff as a board, in the middle of the couch while Sakura was on the floor, tucked between the sofa and the coffee table, a spare blanket from his bed securely wrapped around her shoulders.

She still refused to look in his direction, and Naruto wasn't sure if he was relieved or not by the action.

This entire thing was a weirdly strange, convoluted mess and all Naruto wanted to do was talk to Sakura about what was going on, but he _didn't know what to say_.

How do you comfort a woman who shows up on your doorstep, crying, after weeks of not talking to one another?

The same woman, who had previously confessed her love for you? A confession, mind you, that caused your brain to malfunction and your body to shut down, resulting in you just sitting there and staring at her like she sprouted another head?

Never in his wildest dreams did Naruto believe that Sakura felt anything other than close kinship towards him. He must have garnered a lot of bad karma in his previous life because when the situation presented itself, and he was given the opportunity to _finally_ tell Sakura just how he felt, his mouth stopped working and his mind blanked.

It didn't help that the rosette took his uncharacteristic silence as _rejection,_ either.

As if Naruto Uzumaki would ever reject Sakura Haruno.

Naruto knew he was being absurd; that this was _Sakura_ and she came to him in her time of need for a reason, but he was nervous, and it was awkward, and the last thing he wanted was for this entire situation to blow up right in his face like most things tended to do.

Despite his apparent desire to provide comfort, Sakura needed to be the one to initiate this discussion.

So, here he sat, idly twirling the mug of steaming green tea between his palms, trying to calm his array of frenzied nerves.

As if somehow sensing his internal dilemma, Sakura finally broke the silence.

"My patient died," The emerald-eyed woman croaked, voice hoarse from disuse and her earlier breakdown.

Before Naruto could interject with remorse filled words of emapthy, Sakura carried on, "He passed away on the operating table…he bled out…right underneath my very hands."

 _Ah_. Well, that explained it.

Sakura was always naturally drawn to people. She had some unquenchable thirst to help others, to seem them grow and mend with the aid of her skill. It was what fueled her motivation to attend medical school.

The death of a patient came with the territory of being in the medical profession. Thankfully, this only occurred in Sakura's case twice before – and both times they hadn't even been her direct patients – but she always took the news particularly hard.

Leaning forward, Naruto placed his cup on the glass tabletop, resting his left elbow on his knee for balance before setting his right hand on the shoulder that was closest to him.

"I'm sure it wasn't your fault, Sakura," He assured, giving her an encouraging squeeze.

"That's the thing Naruto…this…it _might_ be my fault."

She still wouldn't look him in the eye, but Naruto felt the muscle under his palm go rigid. She must have been scowling.

"He came in complaining of nausea, fatigue, and shortness of breath…or at least that's what the referring doctor noted in his chart. There was a familial history of chronic heart disease and blood clots, so immediately, I started him on blood thinners while we were conducting preliminary tests."

The rosette paused long enough to take a breath, then she said, "I thought it was congestive heart failure. If it wasn't serious, a few changes to his diet and some medication could help. If it were severe, the best option would have been coronary artery bypass surgery. Either way, it wasn't a complicated case."

The shoulder in his grasp began to tremble, and her voice hitched an octave higher as she continued, "What _no one_ told me, or noted in his paperwork, is that he had been in an accident a few days prior to the start his symptoms. While I was too busy focusing on his heart, because that is what his chart lead me to believe the issue was, blood had been pooling in the membrane between his brain and his skull. It's called a subdural hematoma, and it only got worse because _I_ put him on Coumadin. By the time I realized what was happening and went in to operate so that I could relieve some of the pressure…it was too late and he just…flatlined right on the table."

She was crying again, her chest heaving with the force of her sobs. "Tsunade gave me a few days off because the hospital wants to look into what happened and figure out where the exact miscommunication occurred. She told me that everything would turn out alright in a few days and I was fine…but Naruto…I could _lose_ my license, and I don't know what to do! I didn't know _where_ to go…and I…I _just_ needed you."

Sakura leaned against the outside of his thigh, pressing her cheek into the already damp material of his jeans.

"I know things aren't exactly copesetic between us at the moment, but _please_ , just please be my best friend right now. I need the man that protected me from bullies when I was a kid, not the guy I confessed my love to."

"I'm here," Naruto rasped voice thick with emotion.

Unable to do much with their current seating arrangements, he lifted his hand from her shoulder, burying it in her short, pink locks. His thumb immediately began to knead small, soothing circles into the soft patch of skin behind her right ear.

He reiterated, "I'm right _here_. I'm not going anywhere."

At his declaration, the floodgates opened again, and Sakura did her best to muffle her sorrow against his muscle of his hamstring. Naruto tried to ease her pain as best as he could, given the circumstances. A coo of consolation here and a kiss to her temple there. He gave what he could freely and without hesitance.

Under different conditions, he would have provided more verbal assurances, but right now, empty promises that everything would be alright would amount to nothing.

Sakura's livelihood was on the line over a simple lack of communication, and there was nothing he could say that would ease her discomfort. It would be best let her get everything out, and when it was all over, they would pick up the pieces together. She wanted him there, and he would be; reliable, and stable, and ready to face anything that life tossed her way.

And maybe, when this whole thing was over, and their lives returned to a semblance of normalcy, they could finally sit down and talk about _them_.

After all, the woman who loved him needed to know that he felt the same.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count** : 2,363  
 **last edited on** : 05/01/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** Here is the next installment. I hope you all enjoy!

 **title** : jubilee, written for kairi-chan  
 **prompt** : we'll go dancing in the dark, walking through the park, and reminiscing  
 **pairing** : naruto x sakura  
 **genre** : fluff / romance  
 **rating** : t

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

 **Let me know what you think by reviewing! Favorite and follow, also!**

* * *

On the list of ' _most_ _embarrassing things to ever happen in her life_ ,' this scenario easily made the top five.

Of all the days for Naruto to be late, it just had to be today. How he could forget such a date was beyond her.

Naruto knew how important today was for her; for _them_.

They'd had these plans for months. It was circled in bright red on every calendar: the one in her office, the one in his office, and the one that hung on the back of the pantry door in their shared apartment.

Jade eyes narrowed marginally, and Sakura dispassionately scowled at the glass of chardonnay that sat on the table in front of her. The patrons seated on both sides of her booth exchanged hushed sentiments, and the rosette didn't need to try to guess what the topic of their conversations were.

Their not-so-secret sidelong glances were filled with more pity than compassion, and their whispered words weren't as quiet as they thought them to be.

Hearing the term ' _stood_ _up_ ' used to describe _her_ caused Sakura's teeth violently gnash together and made the muscle above her right eyebrow twitch.

She was going to make the rest of his life a personal hell. That was for damn sure.

Sakura could understand if it was another Wednesday dinner date he had forgotten. She was just as much of a workaholic as he was. Time was ever-so-elusive, slipping by when she least expected it to, and more often than not, it was Sakura who happened to be late to their get-togethers.

However, today was different.

Not only did she have to call this restaurant to book a reservation three weeks in advance, but today also happened to be their _three_ - _year_ _anniversary_. They were celebrating with dinner and it was pretty fucking important.

When Sakura got ahold of her wayward significant other, she was going to throttle him with her bare hands. Only after Naruto's face turned blue from lack of oxygen would she be _somewhat_ satisfied.

"Um…excuse me? Miss?" A light, feminine voice called out.

Some of the dark thoughts that were bouncing around in Sakura's head must have shown on her face, because when she turned to regard the woman who appeared next to the table, the girl visibly flinched.

It took a moment for Sakura to place the mousey female as the hostess who greeted her when she initially entered the eatery earlier on.

"Yes?" The pinkette inquired through clenched teeth, offering the employee a tight-lipped smile that appeared more sinister than anything else.

The girl's reaction this time was to take a tiny step back.

"I-I know," The petite brunette started, but paused to clear her throat.

When the younger woman spoke again, it was in a firmer, more confident tone. "I know you said that the other member of your party would be arriving shortly, but the dinner crowd is picking up, and it has been a little over an hour…"

As the hostess' statement trailed off, Sakura took the opportunity to glance around the dining room.

The smaller woman was correct.

So engrossed in the staring contest she was having with her glass of wine, Sakura failed to notice how busy the restaurant had become. All the tables were now filled and the line near the entrance was beginning to trail out of the intricate glass doors.

Sakura sighed as she turned her attention back to the chestnut-haired employee.

"I'm taking up a table you need, aren't I?"

The younger woman immediately opened her mouth to say something, a rebuff maybe, but must have thought better of it because a second later, her jaw snapped shut, lips drawn down into a regret-filled frown.

There was a short pause and the hostess gracelessly shifted her weight from foot to foot, twisting her body in such a way that made it look like she was preparing to turn around and flee. Eventually, however, she confirmed Sakura's suspicion with a curt bob of her head.

"My manager sent me over here to see if you would be alright with giving up the table for now, at least until the other member of your party arrives. When they do come, we would be happy to give you the next available table."

Sakura's brow furrowed, and she released a long, slow breath through her nose, shoulders slumping with the exhale.

"No, that's alright," She declined with a wave of her hand. "I don't think he's coming, and I wouldn't want to cause you any more trouble on my account."

Again, it appeared that the hostess was going to refute her comment, but Sakura didn't wait around to hear it.

She vacated her seat while simultaneously digging through her clutch, producing a few dollar bills that would not only cover the unfinished glass of wine, but also leave behind a little something extra for the waiter who brought it over.

Sakura took a step away from the table, in the direction of the exit, but hesitated, inwardly battling an inkling of indecisiveness.

She really _shouldn't_.

This wasn't the type of place for her to do something so inappropriate…but, then again, she had been stood up – by her _boyfriend_ no less – and her night had already turned to shit.

It really _couldn't_ hurt.

Decision made, Sakura turned back to the table and, in a move that would have made her old mentor proud, snatched up the glass of wine and downed the remaining contents in one, smooth gulp.

Smacking her lips together with a wet ' _pop_ ,' the rosette placed the empty cup back on the table before she spun on her heel and began her trek towards the exit. While she weaved between the other diners, Sakura reveled in the hostess' expression of muted horror and the taste of buttery chardonnay on her lips.

-o-

The crisp, cool night air was a welcome reprieve from the stuffy atmosphere of the busy restaurant, and though her feet were killing her in the beige slingback heels she paired with her black dress, Sakura insisted on traveling by foot the entire way home.

The restaurant wasn't far from their apartment; three blocks south and a short traverse through the park was all it would take to arrive at the front door of their building.

Though walking in shoes that pinched her toes wasn't helping her current state of disarray, Sakura carried on, trying her best to reign in her anger.

Controlling her emotions had always proven to be a difficult task, and she couldn't help but frown most of the way home, glaring at anything and anyone who happened to cross her path. Only after two couples and a gaggle of teenagers gave her an extremely wide berth when they passed her on the sidewalk did Sakura finally avert her hardened gaze to the ground in front of her feet.

Luckily for both herself and the general population, once she disappeared into the park, the foot traffic died down drastically and Sakura no longer had to hide her ire. Welcoming the silent solitude the park granted her, Sakura allowed her mind to wander.

She tried to process what she would say or how she would act when she saw Naruto. It wouldn't do Sakura any good to start an argument – because there was going to be an _argument_ – with an irrational mindset. She needed to think out what exactly she wanted to say carefully.

Going in ' _guns-a-blazing_ ' seemed to work well when they were teenagers. Her temper was notorious during their high school years. However, this wasn't a situation where bullies were poking fun at the size of her forehead.

This was their relationship.

Although she might have been dating a forgetful idiot, Sakura prided herself on taking certain things seriously, and this scenario constituted as such.

She wasn't agitated because he missed dinner. Over the course of their time together, there were plenty of dates that she had to cancel last minute. It would be hypocritical of her to hold that against him.

They weren't that type of couple to begin with. Called-off plans didn't strike a sour note, and more often than not, they both preferred takeout from the restaurant around the corner over some elaborate, expensive dinner.

No. What Sakura was upset about was that Naruto didn't call, didn't text, didn't try to reach out to her.

Though she was comfortable in assuming nothing drastic had happened to him, Sakura was still concerned. It wasn't like Naruto to fall off the grid; to abandon her on their anniversary, and the mere thought of it churned uncertainty in her stomach.

She was worried.

Or at least, she _was_.

The pinkette's apprehension melted away when she made it about halfway through the park and noticed someone standing near the three-tiered water fountain.

Someone, who had a very familiar head of blond hair.

"Now, Sakura-chan…," Naruto started sheepishly. He had the gall to look remorseful.

All thoughts of being civil were thrown out the window, and Sakura did the only thing that she deemed reasonably logical: she took off one her shoes and threw it at his head.

"You son of a _bitch_!" She gritted out through clenched teeth, closing the distance between them with three long, awkwardly unbalanced strides.

Naruto adeptly maneuvered himself out of the hurled object's trajectory, but Sakura didn't give him a chance to recover before she was upon him.

She intended to punch him in the shoulder, a small taste of physical pain to go along with the verbal lashing she was preparing for him, but the disruption in the equilibrium between her right foot and her left threw off the momentum and the attack ended up being more of a full-body tackle.

Her boyfriend landed against the concrete lip of the fountain ungracefully, struggling to catch his balance before he fell back into the bubbling water.

"Sakura!" Naruto yelped before dodging the open palm that was meant to cuff the side of his head.

Undeterred that she missed her target, Sakura aimed another strike at his right temple, but before she could make contact, Naruto seized her wrist in a gentle, yet firm grip.

"Mercy woman! _Mercy_ ," The blond griped with an uneasy chuckle. "Just, please let me explain before you attack me again."

Unhappy that her charge had been thwarted, Sakura growled, a low animalistic noise that emanated from the back of her throat.

"Oh, I'll show you mercy, alright!" The viridian-eyed woman grumbled harshly.

Unperturbed by his pleading, Sakura used their new height difference to her advantage. Bringing her free hand up, she smacked Naruto in the back of the head, finally completing her earlier assault.

At the sight of his wince, Sakura smirked with smug satisfaction.

Naruto released the hold he had on her wrist, burying both of his hands in the tuft of golden hair at the nape of his neck. He gingerly caressed the wound, grimaced once again, before looking up at her.

"Okay, I deserved that," Naruto admitted honestly.

"You _deserve_ a lot worse!" Sakura screeched, looming over his prone form. "What the hell Naruto?! An hour and a half. I waited for you for an _hour_ _and a fucking half_. You didn't call; you didn't text! I thought something happened to you and yet, here you are, lounging around a fountain. Just where the hell were you!?"

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but Sakura was somewhat impressed how well Naruto was taking the outspoken onslaught. During most instances where she was yelling at him, the blond was cowering or at least trying to abate her anger.

Naruto _was_ trying to calm her down, albeit only somewhat. His hands were waving back and forth in front of his chest in a disarming motion, but he seemed more earnest and somber than panicky.

"I know, I know," Her lover agreed softly. "I'm sorry that I didn't show up to dinner. I got caught up in the office longer than I expected and I had errands to run after work which forced me to be later than I already was. By the time I finished up, it was already an hour after our intended meeting time."

At his explanation, Sakura deflated, if only slightly. His reasoning might not have been the best, but she knew how busy he had been lately.

Minato, Naruto's father, was running for the position of Mayor and somehow managed to rope his son into working alongside him in the campaign office. The closer they drew to election day, the less and less Sakura had seen Naruto. Despite her disdain for not being around him that often, this was important to him, and what was important to Naruto was important to her.

Sakura huffed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. She tilted back, shifting her weight so that she would seem less intimidating without losing the underlying impression of vexation. Missing one of her shoes made the overall movement uncoordinated, but the rosette tried to play it off by crossing her arms.

"That doesn't mean you couldn't call," was Sakura's retort, though there really wasn't any bite behind her words. "And what ' _errands_ ' could you possibly be running this late, anyway?"

Instead of answering her question, Naruto reached out and gently pried her arms apart. Seizing her right hand in his left, he intertwined their fingers before he offered Sakura a soft, genuine smile that disarmed her. He turned away from her then, using his free hand to reach for something that was resting on the ledge next to him.

"I had to pick up a few things," Naruto murmured nonchalantly.

Before Sakura could inquire as to what her boyfriend was doing, her vision was abruptly filled with varying shades of sapphire and violet. A subtle, sweet smell tickled her nostrils.

Forced to take a step back, the cherry-haired woman blinked in rapid succession, trying to process what Naruto had shoved right under her nose. It took a minute, but Sakura realized that it was a bouquet of purple and blue hydrangeas, accented with a small selection of dusty miller stems.

There was a short bout of silence where emerald eyes shifted between the flowers and her significant other, but after a while, Sakura pouted and as she stomped her bare foot against the pavement like a child.

"Oh! That's not fair," She gripped, disentangling her hand from his own so that she could steal the bundle of blooms from his grasp. "You know these are my favorite."

Sakura brought them closer to her face for a tentative sniff, eyes closing as she savored the overwhelming scent of garden-fresh springtime.

"Yeah well," Naruto started, rubbing one hand across the back of his neck sheepishly. "I figured they would help out with calming you down a bit."

Sakura glared at him over the tops of the flowers.

"It's working," She muttered, eyes drifting over his apology bouquet with barely veiled approval. "But, _not_ that much."

Naruto chuckled, though he didn't offer anything more on the topic and the two lapsed into a comfortable silence. Sakura poked and prodded through the different buds while Naruto seemed to be content with merely watching her.

He eventually reached out for her, wrapping his arms around her waist and gently pulled her towards him. Sakura went along willingly, depositing herself in his lap and situating herself so that her legs were carelessly tossed over his own, cheek pressed into the juncture where his neck and shoulder met.

Previous anger forgotten, Sakura closed her eyes, humming in contentment as she was enveloped in his warmth.

"So besides getting me flowers, what other ' _errands_ ' did you run today?" She questioned after another beat of stillness.

Instead of immediately responding to her query, Naruto unwrapped one of his arms from around her waist, burying the hand in his pants pocket.

"Do you remember the day we first met?" Naruto asked suddenly.

Taken aback by his spontaneous inquiry, Sakura lifted her head from where it was tucked underneath his chin. She blinked at him owlishly, head tilted ever-so-slightly to the left to exemplify her curiosity.

"Of course, I remember. We were in high school. I was running in the park with Ino and she distracted me. I wasn't looking where I was going and I accidentally bumped into you. You fell into…the…," Her voice trailed off as her eyes lit up with an unspoken revelation.

Leaning back, Sakura turned her head to peer over Naruto's shoulder, looking towards the enormous, dazzling water spout behind them. When green eyes flicked back in his direction, they were dancing with mirth.

"You fell into this very fountain," Sakura finished, tone laced with amusement.

"I'll never forget that day," Naruto said with sage-like nod his head. "It was the day that I met the most beautiful woman that I had ever seen."

A pretty flush dusted across the Sakura's cheeks, and she tried to fight off the butterflies fluttering in her stomach with a small roll of her eyes.

"You always were a smooth talker," Sakura lightly joked.

It seemed Naruto wasn't in a playful mood, however. He regarded her with a thoughtful expression, the one hand currently resting on her hip pushing her impossibly closer till the bouquet of flowers was awkwardly smushed between them.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" She squealed. "You're going to ruin the flowers!"

Sakura's exclamation fell on deaf ears and she tried to shimmy away from him, but it was to no avail. Naruto refused to let her move an inch.

"I'm serious," He stated. "You are gorgeous, Sakura."

The sincerity and severity in his tone caused her heartbeat to pick up and her toes to curl, a warmth settling into the center of her chest.

"Alright, already," She tittered nervously. Sakura didn't know why she felt that way. This was Naruto for god's sake. "I believe you, so lighten up a little. You're ruining my gift."

Her fair-haired knucklehead eased up on the pressure around her waist, though not by much. It was enough for Sakura to remove the cluster of flowers from in between them, however, and she placed them on the edge of the fountain next to them.

Naruto didn't give Sakura the chance to further question him about his odd behavior. Before she even turned back to give him her full attention, he was continuing his formal tirade.

"We've been together for three years now, but we've known each other since we were kids. Ever since I met you, that day in the park, I knew that you were the only one for me."

A shiver of uncertainty ran up her spine and anxiousness caused her throat to constrict.

Just where was he going with this?

"My attraction to you isn't because you're pretty…though you are. Don't let Sai tell you any differently."

His sorry attempt at a joke garnered short bark of laughter from both of them. When the humor subsided, Naruto carried on. "My attraction is to your soul and to the wonderful person you are inside."

"N-Naruto," Sakura stammered, at a loss for words.

He smiled. That open, wide-toothed grin that caused the skin around his eyes to crinkle.

"With all that being said," He hummed, the hand that had been hidden in his jeans finally coming into view once more. "Sakura Haruno, will you marry me?"

Sakura could feel her eyebrows slowly disappearing into her hairline, lips inelegantly parted in her stunned stupor. She slipped out of his lap, staggering as she took one step back, then another, eyes never leaving the black velvet box that he held out in her direction.

Naruto vacated his perch on the fountain's edge to kneel in front of her, opening the case to reveal a halo-style engagement ring. The band was white gold, a diamond of moderate size housed in the center encased by a circle of much smaller, pink diamonds.

She didn't know what to think, what do, or what to say. Her mind short-circuited, and before Sakura could verbalize a proper response, she found herself choking back the laughter which bubbled up her throat.

Naruto, unphased by her reaction, just grinned.

"Well that's not a _no_ ," He stated, tone laced with delight.

"It's _pink_ ," She whispered, voice a mix of exasperation and awe.

"Yeah, well," Naruto replied with a chuckle, azure eyes swinging between herself and the ring. "Pink happens to be my favorite color."

Sakura smiled, taking a tiny step in his direction. "Liar. We both know that's orange."

"That may be so," He said, reaching into the box to pull the ring from the cushion. "But, it doesn't answer my question. What do you say? Feel like putting up with my idiotic tendencies for the rest of our lives?"

Sakura didn't hesitate with her answer. "Yes. Yes, yes, _yes._ "

Naruto shot up so quickly Sakura was forced to lean back so that the top of his head didn't collide with her chin. He gave her just enough time to register that he was slipping the ring on her finger before he engulfed her in his embrace.

Naruto was laughing, full body whoops of happiness that shook them both. His merriment brought about her own, pulling Sakura from her semi-stunned daze.

Naruto kissed her then; the soft feel of his lips on hers was grounding and Sakura couldn't help but gaily reciprocate.

They broke apart after few minutes, when the need for air became apparent and almost instantly, Sakura overwhelmed by the thought that this, right now, is what _real_ love feels like. She always knew that her feelings for him were always genuine, but here, in this moment, she can feel the full extent of his love.

Naruto is looking at her like she is the only thing his world. He's beautifully flushed in his excitement, beaming at her as his fingers trace the dimples in her cheeks. She would remember his open, yearning expression for as long as she lived.

Sakura was broken from her daze when a loud, high-pitched rumbling noise pierced through the silence that had surrounded them.

"Please tell me that was your stomach," Sakura questioned with a snicker.

Naruto's face contorted into a remorse-filled grimace.

"Sorry to ruin the moment. I didn't have the chance to grab a bite to eat on my way over."

"Neither did _I_ ," Sakura politely reminded him before removing herself from his embrace.

She took a step away from him, holding her left hand up for inspection under the light of the street lamp. The ring was slightly loose, but it fit well enough. They would have to go get it resized sometime during the upcoming week.

"Come on," Sakura called, moving in the direction of the park's exit. "If you can find my missing shoe, maybe I'll be nice enough to whip you up something to eat when we get home. I think it landed in the fountain."

Sakura didn't need to turn around to know that Naruto's demeanor suddenly became determined.

"Even if I ask for a bowl of ramen?" He asked. Sakura heard a series of splashes followed by a soft grunt, but she didn't turn back around.

"Even if you ask for a bowl of ramen," She acquiesced in a sing-song tone.

"Best fiancée ever!" The blond cheered.

It was odd to hear the use of her new title, but Sakura couldn't find a single ounce of regret with her choice.

Even when a pair of soaking wet arms wrapped around her middle, pulling her back into an equally soggy bear hug, Sakura couldn't and wouldn't take back her decision.

She would, however, still give him a piece of her mind for potentially ruining her dress.

" _Naruto_! Get _off!_ "

* * *

Thank you for reading!

 **word count:** 3,958  
 **last edited on:** 05/23/18

ja mata ne  
nerazenn


	14. Chapter 14

**title:** scuffle, written for raiza  
 **pairing:** kakashi x sakura  
 **prompt:** "how is my wife more badass then me?"  
 **genre:** romance / humor  
 **rating:** g

* * *

Genma laughs.

He laughs, and laughs, and laughs until he is hunched over and forced to remove his ANBU mask due to the lack of oxygen.

Kakashi, despite the scene playing out in front of him, remains outwardly calm.

Inwardly, well…that was a different story.

When the reports that Sakura was involved in an 'incident' begin to flood his office, Kakashi assumes the worst.

Now, that wasn't to say that Kakashi didn't have faith in his wife to handle herself in a sticky situation.

Sakura was a world renown kunoichi, a well-established medical ninja, and the former apprentice to the Fifth Hokage. There was nothing life could throw at her, big or small, that she couldn't handle.

That didn't stop him from worrying, however. Kakashi learned relatively early on in their relationship that Sakura was unusually forgetful. More often than not, she skipped meals, lost out on sleep, and tended to ignore her general wellbeing.

Though he would never admit it out loud, he was perfectly content with her ineptness. It gave him an excuse to dote on her.

Of course, on the one day that he couldn't ignore his responsibilities as Hokage and sneak out of his office to spy on his busy spouse, something like this happens.

When Kakashi, followed closely by his guard, venture to his wife's location, his mind races with the numerous possibilities of what they might find.

The list was truly endless and that did nothing to help his blood pressure.

To eventually discover his petite, pink-haired wife at the center of an all-out brawl with other restaurant patrons, was a surprise and a shock, that also did nothing to help his blood pressure. This was not something he had foreseen.

Genma, finally recovered from his bout of hysteria, cocks a thumb in the direction of the scuffle and asks, "Do you want me to intervene?"

"You better not," Ino sternly warns, suddenly appearing between the two of them. She cocks her head to the right, angling herself better to receive the kiss Genma brushes along her cheek before she states, "The douchebags deserve every part of the beatdown they're getting."

Kakashi sighs, shoulders slumping in defeat. He pinches the bridge of his nose and inquires, "Do I even want to know what brought this on, Ino?"

Crystalline eyes peer up at him for a moment before returning to the combat arena in the middle of the dining room.

"We came here for lunch, and they were drinking at the bar," The blonde explains, jerking her chin in the direction of the small countertop residing against the opposite wall. "Sakura got up to go to the bathroom, and one of them made a comment about her ass. It all went downhill from there rather quickly."

Genma whistles a low, appreciative note as Sakura lands a spartan kick in the middle of one opponent's chest, all the while holding another in a tight headlock. His face was starting to turn an ugly shade of purple.

"Remind me to never fuck with your wife, Hatake," The brunette guard muses. Ino gives a soft hum in agreement while Kakashi snorts dryly, nonplused and unamused.

Though he wasn't upset with Sakura for defending herself in a situation that called for it, Kakashi knew this would result in an unnecessary amount paperwork, numerous apologies, and money spent on medical expenses. It really wasn't something he was looking forward to dealing with.

There's a sharp, strangled cry before the sound of a chair breaking draws all of their attention. The onlookers in the crowd wince in unison as Sakura hurls one of the men across the room.

There is a beat of silence and then, "How is my wife more badass than me?" Kakashi quires, generally curious. "When did that even happen?"

Genma smirks, sly and smug. "I'm not sure, but you're one lucky son of a bitch."

* * *

 **word count:** 656  
 **last edited on:** 12/07/18

ja mata ne  
nerazennxx


	15. Chapter 15

**title:** splash, written for ravine  
 **pairing:** ino x sakura  
 **prompt:** mermaid au  
 **genre:** fluff / humor  
 **rating:** g

* * *

Sakura gazes at her distorted reflection on the water's surface, nose crinkling in distaste.

"Ino," She whines, high-pitched and needy. "I know you're down there, you sneaky mermaid. I want to show you something. Come up already!"

Her summons is met with a bout of silence that causes Sakura to frown.

Leaning further over the edge of the dock, Sakura reaches down to glide the fingers of her right hand across the surface of the water.

"Such a shame that Ino didn't show up today," She states to the rippling water. "The item I brought with me today is really cool and super shiny."

As soon as the words are out of Sakura's mouth, a hand escapes from the ocean's depths, wrapping itself around her wrist. With a sharp tug, Sakura's world shifts on its axis, and she only has time to release a gurgled yelp before she is swallowed up by sea water.

When she breaks the surface a moment later, hair matted to her skull, Sakura sputters, "You damn sea witch."

"Such horrible name-calling," A soft voice chides with no real ire. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Green eyes narrow from behind the fringe of wet pink hair, and with a swipe of her hand, Sakura's obstructed vision clears for a moment, only to be filled with Ino's smugly smirking face.

"I've never been in the water in front of you before. What would you have done if I couldn't swim?" Sakura pointedly inquires, beginning the trek back towards the floating pier. "I bet you wouldn't be so arrogant then."

Ino rolls her eyes, keeping pace with her easily, the fins on her tail brushing against Sakura's shins as they swim. "Gosh, do all humans nag as much as you do? Or are you a special case? And what kind of fisherman can't swim?"

Sakura chooses to overlook the blonde's questions, focusing instead on lifting herself up and onto the wooden dock. She makes it about halfway before her grip falters and she ungracefully crashes back into the water.

When she floats back to the surface a second later, Sakura tries to ignore the heat that rises in her cheeks as a result of Ino's giggles.

"Here, let me help you," Ino states, pressing herself against Sakura's back and placing her hands on the smaller woman's hips. "Pull yourself up again. I'll lift at the same time."

Sakura's heart gives a small, traitorous thump in her chest, and she swallows thickly to try and quell the sudden bout of embarrassment that overtakes her.

Without another word, Sakura tries to haul herself back up onto the dock, and this time, with Ino's assistance, she is able to make it. While Sakura takes the time to situate herself, taming her wildly unkempt hair and draining the excess moisture from her clothing, Ino climbs up onto the pier beside her.

Sakura is momentarily distracted from her tasks by the picture the mermaid presents. She not sure how Ino holds up against others of her species, but by human beauty standards, she is breathtaking.

The length of her platinum blonde hair is endless, never a strand out of place despite her time below the water's surface. Her complexion was impeccable and the way the sun glints off the myriad of purple scales that make up her tail is almost alluringly teasing.

Looking at her now, Sakura can't help but send silent thanks to whatever god conjured up the storm which caused Ino to become tangled in her fishing net.

"Well, Sakura," Ino remarks, drawing Sakura's attention. There's a broad smile on the mermaid lips, wide and earnest. "What did you bring for me today?"

Sakura couldn't help but grin at her eagerness. "Well," She starts, digging into her shorts' pocket.

It takes a moment longer than Sakura would like to extract the object from its damp denim confines, but Ino doesn't seem bothered. The blonde's face is a mixture of wonder and excitement, and it is so childishly adorable that Sakura can't help but to laugh outright.

"It's called a compact mirror," Sakura explains, holding out the sterling silver disk out in Ino's direction. "It's used to look at your reflection. We humans use them because it's small enough to take with you whenever you're on the go."

Ino snatches the looking glass out of Sakura's grasp with unhinged haste. She studies the object from varying angles, opening and closing it over and over again. The mermaid is practically vibrating with delight as she holds the mirror up to the sun, allowing the beams to reflect off its surface.

"You're right Sakura!" Ino exclaims. "It is shiny."

Sakura props her elbow on her knee, chin resting in the palm of her hand. A wave of contentment washes over her as she observes the way Ino continues to play with the mirror, marveling at the reflection staring back at her.

"I'm glad you like it," Sakura hums, appeased.

* * *

 **word count:** 834  
 **last edited on:** 12/07/18

ja mata ne  
nerazennxx


	16. Chapter 16

**title:** impromptu  
 **pairing:** kakashi x sakura  
 **prompt:** none  
 **genre:** romance  
 **rating:** m

* * *

Sakura tugs Kakashi out into the alley behind the pub, grinning like a mad woman. He catches her waist before the door even closes, and pulls her in, kissing her eagerly.

Sakura's had a crush on Kakashi all semester, ever since he had been assigned as her philosophy tutor. Running into him during her post-final celebration – she got all A's, by the way – at her favorite bar seemed like a sign from above. She doesn't know if her former " _teacher_ " has been daydreaming about her the same way she's been fantasizing about him, or if he's just drunk or being impulsive, but he's here, and he's kissing her, and Sakura knows better than to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Slowly, he backs her into the wall, kissing a hot trail down her neck. His hands slide down to her bottom, then skim further, hooking on the backs of her knees, and then he's lifting her, pinning her against the cool stone. The brick scratches uncomfortably against her bare shoulders, but she doesn't dwell on the sensation and instead chooses to focus on the warmth of his hands and the comfortable heat of his body as it nestles between her thighs.

"Are we doing this?" Sakura breathes, breath fogging in the chill of the springtime evening.

Kakashi tips his head back to look at her fully. "Do you want to?"

She nods eagerly, too eagerly, and it causes him to smirk.

"Say it," he commands in a soft, but firm tone.

"I want this," she says. "I want you."

And then Kakashi's taking her breath away with another kiss. She reaches between them, unbuckling his belt and undoing his pants. Kakashi nips at the underside of her jaw, teeth dragging along the expanse of her neck, and Sakura knows that she'll be all marked up in the morning, between him and the wall against her back. She relishes the thought of it though; the idea that it'll be _his_ marks on her neck. That _he's_ the reason why her back is all scratched. It causes her to whimper.

Kakashi lifts his head, brushing her lips with his. He moves to pull back, and Sakura's not sure if he's having second thoughts or if he's trying to adjust his stance, but she's not letting him get very far. She reaches up and curls a hand into the front of his shirt, holding him there. Maybe it's the thrill of what they're doing, or perhaps it's the alcohol, but she feels particularly bold at the moment.

"Where are you going?" She coyly asks, pressing the flat of her tongue against his pulse point and dragging it upward.

He tenses for an instant, and that traitorous little voice in the back of her head pipes up with, _"He's having second thoughts. He doesn't want this. He doesn't want_ you _."_

But Kakashi…Kakashi _wants_ her. Sakura knows it. She can tell because he's back not a heartbeat later, kissing her hungrily, his fingers digging into the flesh of her thighs. His grip was bordering on bruising.

He growls and pushes her dress up and around her hips. He doesn't take the time to remove her underwear, and instead, hastily shoves the cloth to the side, eager to touch her. He brushes his forefinger against her clit and Sakura keens, breaking their kiss. His sharp intake of breath tells Sakura that she's just as wet as she suspected.

When he pulls away a minute later, Sakura cants her hips to chase the feeling of his calloused finger against her heated skin.

"I don't have a condom," he murmurs hotly against the shell of her ear.

"That's alright," she whispers. "I'm on the pill."

Thankfully, Kakashi doesn't need any more assurance and it's only a handful of seconds before Sakura feels him at her entrance.

Slowly, every so painstakingly _slow_ , he pushes inside.

Sakura's head tips back, thunking loudly against the wall. "Oh _fuck_ ," she says in a small voice.

He's so _big_.

She's always suspected, of course, but fantasizing about him fucking her six ways from Sunday, and him actually doing it, are two very different things. Her fingers clench in the hair at the nape of his neck, tugging his head back as he fills her. They both arch as he bottoms out, two disparate points curving and joining at the hips. She scrapes his scalp with her nails and is delighted when he shivers.

When he beings to thrust, stretching her so deliciously, it's Sakura's turn to tremble.

"Kakashi," she moans.

"You feel amazing," he sighs happily.

"So do you."

Kakashi angles his hips, pushing himself ever deeper inside of her and groans, "You're so wet."

He braces once hand against the wall, the other still tucked behind her knee, and beings driving, harder and faster into her. Sakura tightens her legs around him, lips parted as he fucks her out of her mind.

As much as she'd like to draw this out; to make him sweat and hear him beg and make him cry out her name, Sakura can't wait another moment. She works herself on Kakashi's cock, sliding quickly up and down the whole hard length of him. Their tempo is a bit off, they're both overexcited, and Sakura can tell from the tensing of his arms and thighs that he's trying his best to keep her steady and rather than focusing on his task.

Sakura feels her face flush as she shamelessly imagines what his body could do to her if they were in a bed, where he could really let go.

Just when she thinks that they've got a rhythm going, Kakashi lifts her further up the wall, – she's definitely going to have a horrid bump on the back of her head, but she'll worry about that tomorrow morning – and his hips _crash_ against hers, hard and fast and he _grinds_ himself against her and Sakura can't help but scream.

Kakashi grins, _grins_ , and raises his head to catch her mouth once more, muffling her cries. They kiss, it's messy and tender and open-mouthed, and Sakura loves every single second of it.

Sakura's saying something, but she's got no idea what it is. She gasps and arches toward him as he bites down on her jaw, throat, clavicle; anything he can get his mouth on, really. Thick cords of muscle stand out on his neck as he bends to gather a mouth full of the top of her breast, anchoring himself to her chest as he continues to drive in and out of her.

 _It's his name_ , Sakura realizes. She's moaning his name as she claws at his hair and shoulders and back, trying to make him feel even a little bit as enveloped in this wonton bliss she is. Her fingers sink into the back of his neck when he switches his attention to her other breast.

Like a gentleman, Kakashi waits until Sakura's orgasm takes her, all twelves thrusts later, before he awkwardly jerks his hips into hers and spends himself inside her with a gurgled groan.

He stands still for a long moment and makes no move to disentangle from her, and for that, Sakura is grateful. She rests, sated and limp in his arms, cheek pressed against his own.

"So," Sakura gasps, chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath. "Do you want to grab coffee sometime?"

Kakashi pulls back to look at her, dark eyes roaming over her face. Then, he smiles.

"Coffee sounds great."

* * *

 **word count:** 1,252  
 **last edited on:** 01/09/19

ja mata ne  
nerazennxx


End file.
